The Sons in Splendor Vol IV: The Eclipse of the Sons

20 years of the TL to go, lots could happen, how much detail would you like?


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Introduction
It's back! After a (frankly flattering) run at the Turtledoves, here is the 4th, and probably final, part of the Sons in Splendor, taking us from 1581 up to 1628. Thanks all so much for your continued support and encouragement, I am VERY excited about this part, I think it will be the best yet

Here are the links for the previous volumes:
VOLI https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...ouse-of-the-rising-sons.490594/#post-20667937
VOL II https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...rince-the-pope-and-the-peruvian.490596/page-7
VOL III https://www.alternatehistory.com/fo...e-iii-the-great-grandsons-in-splendor.501521/

For those of you new to the TL then the POD is 1483: Edward IV survives his illness until 1487 establishing a monstrous dynasty to take on the New and Old Worlds. For a more detailed synopsis, Vol III begins with one, but below you will find a synopsis through character introductions. As ever feel free to fire questions at me!

Just a heads up that updates will be at least a week apart to allow me good time to get it right. I am also toying with abandoning the 'historian' format in favour of just plain narrative, let me know what you think on that.
CC
 
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Key Characters (Synopsis)
Key positions in 1581
Emperor Edward I, King of England (Edward VI), Lord of Britannia and Defender of the Faith
Imperial Constable: Edward of York, Oudenburg and Picardy, Prince of Anhalt-Kothlen
Keeper of the Imperial Seal: Sir Martin Dalston, Lord Shevington
Imperial Chief Justice: Hugh Price
Imperial Chancellor: Thomas Boleyn III, Earl of Wiltshire
Lord Protector of England: John Seymour (b1525), Earl of Surrey and Bedford
Chancellor of the Exchequer: Sir Thomas Smith
Master of Arm and Horse: Magnus the Red, Viscount Don
Archbishop of Canterbury: Edmund Grindal
Lord Privy Seal: William Huntingdon, Lord Wells
Keeper of the King’s Records: Sir Francis Walsingham
Chief Justice of the Star Chamber: Christopher Hatton
Admiral of England: Sir John Hawkins

Company Commanders
Piacenza: Riker of Oudenberg
Calais: Matthew Boleyn, Lord Cambrai
Marck Frederick of Oudenberg
London Martin Grey, Lord Bath
Aldgate Sir John Petrie
Barbican Sir John Leveson
Norwich Charles Howard, Lord Cromer
Coventry Henry de la Pole, Earl of St Albans
York Henry Cavendish, Earl of Humber
Micklegate Richard Christianson of Hutton, Lord Selby
Ludlow Sir Owen Williams
Bristol Sir John Scudamore
Leger Sir Roger Biddulph
Winchester Sir Robert Dormer
Chester Sir William Stanley
Lincoln Sir William Russell
Nottingham Sir Martin Langborough
Exeter Sir Ambrose Fortescue
Stafford Sir Richard Bray
Rennes: Edward Danglais, Lord of Rennes (heir to Brittany)
Glamorgan: Sir Ricahrd Stanley
Gwynedd: Sir Arthur Cairns
Powys: Sir Edward Wright
Clwyd: Sir John Champney

Assorted Clergy
Archbishop of Canterbury Edmund Grindal
Archbishop of York Richard Bancroft
Bishop of Norwich Robert Brown
Bishop of Rochester John Whitgift
Bishop of Durham Tobias Matthews
Bishop of Ely Lancelot Andrew

Key Characters
Emperor Edward I, King Edward VI of England, Lord of Brittania and Defender of the Faith. Initially extremely Puritan his dozen years as caretaker Emperor, and the brutal realities of the Low Countries War has made him more moderate. Ascending to the Imperial throne in 1581 aged 47, Edward now has a more pragmatic, if jaded, world view. He is not exactly street-smart but is street-smart enough to know that he isn't and to choose advisers accordingly.

Imperial Constable Edward of Oudenberg, Duke of York, Oudenberg and Picardy. Now in his mid 60s, the Emperor's cousin has seen it all. His lifetime of experience makes him the ideal man to calm tempers in Europe. The Low Countries War ended in victory for the Protestants, but it was far more costly than it had any right to be. Oudenberg has been given quite a long lead by his Emperor to settle Dutch and German nerves. His son Riker, a hero of the last war, is ready and capable to take over his duties.

Keeper of the Imperial Seal, Martin Dalston, Lord Shevington. Only the second man in this position in History, following the death of the legendary Lord Lees, Dalston has his work cut out. This role places him in the centre of the political and bureaucratic web of the Britannic Empire. Dalston is not quite the genius that his predecessor and mentor was, but is more than capable of holding government together, so long as the Peers don’t try to put pressure on him…

Lord Protector of England John Seymour, Earl of Surrey and Bedford. Born in 1525, Seymour is actually one of the older heads in government. Of a Puritanical bent, Seymour initially used his position to persecute Catholics within England. Following the Low Countries War, and the ascension of Edward VI to Emperor, Seymour actually now has more autonomy, and intends to chart a more conciliatory path as the Empire heals from war.

Master of Arms (and horse) Magnus the Red, Viscount Don. Descended from the line of Richard of Gloucester, Magnus very much fits the military mould of the family. One of the heroes of the last war - during which his oldest brother died in battle, and his father succumbed to fever - Magnus now has the job of repairing and modernising the Britannic military to face the next challenge. Possessing a fierce temper, and a ferocious bloodlust that gave him his name, Magnus is one of the more volatile members of the extended York family, but he certainly has his uses.

Matthew Boleyn, Lord Cambrai, ex Chancellor of the Exchequer and commander of the Calais Company. Despite being one of the Emperor’s childhood friends, Matthew made a real hames as Chancellor and needed his uncle and cousin (both successive Imperial Chancellors) to step in constantly and sort out England’s finances for him. After the war he has been replaced by the far more capable Thomas Smith and has been shunted to command the Calais Company, the most prestigious unit in the Britannic army. Nothing could possibly go wrong…

Henry de la Pole, Earl of St Albans and commander of the Coventry Company. Another hero of the Low Countries War specialising in light cavalry. His actions earned him his own title (as a younger son he was never going to be Earl of Lincoln) and a few jealous enemies. Unfortunately these conspired to push him into the Coventry Company. He now seethes in the midlands. Is an ally of Magnus the Red.

Edmund Grindal, Archbishop of Canterbury. A compromise candidate, and Emperor Edward’s choice for Archbishop in 1575, Grindal actually toned-down his more Puritanical urges after taking up his post. In 1581 he finds himself caught between a number of growing factions in the Britannic Church. The ‘moderate’ faction, led by Bancroft and Whitgift are loyal to Britannic-Anglican Church and the current establishment. More radical Puritans such as Robert Brown and Lancelot Andrew desire more reform, perhaps even the abolition of Bishops whilst Tobias Matthews and his conservatives want to go back the other way. The ageing Grindal has to hold all of this together.

Peter of Ware. The sole-surviving member of the Ware branch of the Yorkist dynasty and the last hope for those in the Empire who desire a Catholic monarch. Resides in Tuscany and has never been to England.

Arthur Hartson, Duke of Normandy. Grandson to Giovanni Il Nero, the bastard of Richard of Shrewsbury, Arthur lost both his father William and Giovanni during the Low Countries War elevating him to the rank of Duke at the age of 35. Arthur is guided by his uncle Phillip, Earl of Amiens, but he is increasingly thinking about his role in the Britannic Empire.

Andrew Percy. The heir to the once-great Percy dynasty, Andrew had to watch his father William fight to regain his rightful Northumberland inheritance only to fail and lose even his meagre offices. Since his death, Andrew has sought to create a clandestine Catholic network across the North and London, but has been kept very quiet by the spies of Francis Walsingham. Nonetheless, there is no shortage of disinherited sons - the Catesbys in particular - willing to support the Catholic cause.

Robert Dudley, Earl of Northumberland. The subject of so much Percy ire. Unfortunately Robert more than deserves it; a third son elevated to his position by his brothers’ early deaths, Robert is arrogant and greedy. His swift remarriage following the death of his young Percy bride has not helped matters.

Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond. Another victim of the Low Countries War, Henry became head of the monstrous Tudor dynasty at the age of 24 following the death of his father at the Battle of Beissen. Nonetheless Henry is a capable soldier and statesman, and crucially is a close personal friend of Edward, the Prince of Wales. Henry is one of the few English nobility to look favourably on the Puritan cause.

Michael, King of Ireland. The Low Countries War was not kind to Michael either. His decision to go to war in Europe back-fired horribly when Seamus O’Neill began a rebellion in Connacht for over 4 years which consumed half of the island. The rising was defeated and Seamus disappeared - presumed dead - but the cost was a damaged relationship with the now Emperor Edward and one of the most infamous acts in History. The Black Summer of 1580 saw almost 100,000 Irish killed or enslaved into the New World, earning him the nickname ‘a fuilteach’ (the bloody) amongst the Irish-speaking survivors either side of the Atlantic. Nevertheless the first Britannic King of Ireland has now secured his Kingdom and his succession.

James VI, King of Scotland. After more than a century of Scotland's independence being gradually eroded by the English and the later Empire, James VI has stabilised the relationship at the cost of marrying the Emperor’s daughter. By 1581 Scotland is inexorably caught in the gravitational pull of the Empire; its economic prosperity, military protection and intellectual ideas all come from south of the border, its only a matter of time before political rule does too.

Henry Tudor, Earl of Colombia. Grandson of the colonial pioneer Henry Tudor, Lord Hampton [OTL Henry VIII], Henry rules the whole of the southern end of Norland [OTL Florida] and is wrapped in a tussle for control of the Viceroyalty of the whole Colombias with Walter Raleigh.

Walter Raleigh, Duke Goughton. As Duke of central Norland [OTL Virginia], Chair of the Norland Trading Company, and hero of the battle of Rouen, the not-yet 30 year old Raleigh is powerful, wealthy, and he knows it. He has the power to shape the New World in his own image.

Louis, Prince of Conde. Leader of the French Protestant Huguenots, Louis took Emperor Richard’s offer of safe passage to the New World in 1558. In the quarter-century since Louis has become de facto ruler of his own fiefdom; the vast County of Bradbury [OTL Georgia and the Carolinas] which has become home to over 100,000 Huguenot and their cotton plantations. By 1581, Louis’ people have developed their own culture, including intense exploitation of African and Irish slaves, in the New World and remain fiercely committed to the Empire.

Aodh (Hugh) O’Neill An Uachtaran of Tir na Gaeilge [OTL Alabama]. A third generation descendant of the first Irish exiles transported from their homeland, Aodh is the younger brother of Seamus of Connacht Rising fame. After he failed to return, and their father Diarmud went mad with grief, Aodh had himself appointed ‘King’ of the Gaels in the New World. Ruling a mixed realm of Gaelic, Scot and Creek from his capital at Tearmann [Selma,Al] Aodh desires revenge against the Britannic Empire, and to rescue his kinsmen from slavery in the east.

Duke Edward of Brittany. The new Emperor’s uncle, Edward has spent his life walking a delicate tight-rope between the Catholic French-speaking Brittany and their fierce self-identity and the larger, Protestant, English Empire of which they are a part. This is a challenge which Edward has largely met, helped by the ever-present French threat. However Edward is not long for this world, and it remains to be seen whether his heir - ANOTHER EDWARD - charts this same course of takes Brittany out on its own.

Ferdinand, King of Bohemia and Hungary, Archduke of Austria. The son of Maximillian ‘The Last Emperor’ Ferdinand was born into ignominy and spent the first 30 years of his life reaching maturity and stabilising his realms. It helped that the Ottoman Empire endured its own minority and succession crisis for much of this time. Now aged 30, Ferdinand is ready to embark upon rebuilding Catholic Europe, ably assisted by his cousin William the Duke of Bavaria.

Wilhelm Elector Palatine, George Duke of Hesse, John-Frederick II of Saxony. For the last 50 years, the Protestant Princes of Germany have been free from the lash of the Holy Roman Empire. Though often fractious amongst themselves, they have always united against the external threat of Catholicism. These three represent the triumvirate of Germany in 1581, with John Frederick very much the elder statesman. As the Catholic threat recedes, and Germans find their voice, there is no telling where they could end up.

William I, King of the Netherlands. Rising to prominence through the Nine Years War and later the Palatinate War, William really owes his throne to the unifying force of Protestantism and corresponding Catholic aggression, Britannic arms and precedent and finally the force of will of John of Ullich-Cleves-Berg. John is now dead, the Catholics pushed back, and William is the undisputed King. With their embryonic Empire in Asia, the next century could truly belong to the Dutch.
 
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Family Trees
Dramatis Personae 1581
This is a huge list of people and their family trees. This is more a planning document but may be useful. To make the list easier to understand births are listed beneath their fathers and not their mothers. Females married to someone else in the list will have their children listed next to their husbands. If their husband is not mentioned in the list, births are listed below the mother.

English Royalty and Nobility
The House of York
King Edward V (1470-1533) m Anne of Brittany (d1536)
Their Children:
Elizabeth of Ware (1489-1549) m Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk (d1528)
Edward (1505-1506)
John of Ware, Duke of Norfolk (1507-1538) M Catherine Percy
Edmund (1532) Disinherited M Catherine de Medici
Peter (1560, Tuscany) M Mary of Savoy
Henrietta (1579)
John (1580)
Elizabeth of Thetford (b1510) M Sir James Vaux (d1538)
M(1539) Gregory Cromwell,Earl of Essex
Thomas (1540) M Catherine Stanley
Margaret (1565) M George of Conde
Frances (1568)
George (1571)
Cecily (1542) M James Brandon
David (1560)
Henry (1563)
Elizabeth (1566)
Prince Edward of Eltham, Prince of Wales (b1490) M Catherine of Aragon
Elizabeth of Eltham (b1511) M Phillip of Guelders (b1509) (see below)
Isabel of Eltham (1514-1546) M Albert Alcibiades,(see below)
Edward of Westminster (1517-1519)
Richard III (1492-1536) M Johana de Vilhena of Portugal
Elizabeth (1512-1518)
King Richard IV (1513-1581) M Anne of Cleves
Edward VI (b1534) M Barbara of Hesse
Anna (1550) M James VI of Scotland (see below)
Edward Prince of Wales (1554) M Margaret of Conde
Anna (1579)
Joanna (b1536) M William I of the Netherlands (see below)
Edward, Duke of Brittany (b1516) M Beatrice Landais (see Brittany)
Margaret (b1517) M Matthew O’Neill (see Ireland)
Edmund, Earl of Huntingdon (b1517-1578) M Elizabeth Seymour
Edward, Earl of Huntingdon(1541) M Eleanor Bolton
Richard (1560) M Marguerite of Brittany
Eleanor (1564) M Ulrich of Wurttemberg
Joanna (1542) M Richard Butler, Earl of Kildare (see below)
William, Lord Wells (1544) Joan of Oudenberg
Edward (1568)
Beatrice (1570)
Barbara (1571)
Katherine (1572)
Manuel (1519-1550) M Anne Queen of Scots (See Scotland, below)
Cecily (b1521) M Rene of Rohan-Gle (See Huguenots below)
Anna (b1524) M Gaspard de Coligny (see Huguenots below)


The House of York-Oudenberg
Richard of Oudenburg, Duke of York, Picardy and Oudenbrug, Constable and Marshall of England (b1498-1560) M Mary de la Pole
Edward, Duke of York, Oudenberg and Picardy, Imperial Constable, (1516) M Freda of Anhalt-Kothlen
Riker (1539) M Christine of Hesse
William (1559) M Maria of Nassau
Caroline (1560)
Johan (1562)
Sophia (1541) M Wilhelm of the Palatinate (see below)
Frederick (1542) M Isabel de la Pole
Freda (1565)
Thomas (1544) M Katherine Tudor
Harriet (1567)
Bridget (1569)
Elizabeth (1546) M Gebhard von Wartberg, Bishop of Cologne
Jurgen (1569)
Martha (1549) M Simon Stevin, Engineer
Peter (1571)
Grete (1574)
Wolfgang(1552) Bishop of Ghent
Bridgette(1554) M Phillip de la Pole
Anne (1518) M William, Duke of Julich-Cleves-Berg (see below)
Thomas (1519-1551) M Mary Stanley
Margaret (1544) M Lodewijk Estever
Elizabeth (1547) M Jakob Ebert
Hendrik (1569)
Nina (b1503) M Gerald van de Werve
John of Antwerp(1529) M Jeanne D’Albret
Joan (1548) M William, Lord Wells
Marguerite (1551) M George Tuchet
Frederick (1570)
Jean (1572)
John (1553) M Dorothea of Denmark
Christina (1575)
John (1579)
Edward (1557) M Agnes of Zweibrucken
Edward (1577)
Martin (1578)
Nathan (1579)
Antonia (1580)
Katerina (1531) M Edzard II, Count of East Frisia (see below)
Erasmus of Oudenburg, Bishop of London (b1506)
Ludovico (b1509) M Mary of Guise
James, Lord Verne (1534) M Guildford Dudley
Richard (1536), Bishop of Lille

Bastard Son: Giovanni Il Nero, Duke of Normandy, Earl of Amiens, styled as Giovanni Hartson (b1496?-1578) M Elisabeth of Hesse
William (1529-1578) M Jane Tudor
Arthur Duke of Normandy (1548) M Sophie-Anne of the Palatinate
Giovanni (1573)
Elizabeth (1575)
William (1579)
William Jnr (1549) M Jane Stanley
Matthew (1575)
Joanne (1551) M Philip Henslowe
John (1574)
Louise (1576)
Matthew (1578)
Henry (1553) M Georgina Boleyn
Diane (1571)
Margaret (1554) M Edmund Bowyer
Alexandra (1575)
Thomas (1577)
George (1579)
Anna-Louise (1556) M Walter Raliegh (see New World)
Phillip, Earl of Amiens (1531) M Barbara of Brandenburg
George (1557) M Christina de la Pole
Lionel (1577)
Giovanni (1579)
Hector (1560) M Elizabeth Tudor
William (1580)
Elizabeth (1535) M William of Brunswick-Luneburg (d1581) (below)

The House of Northumberland
Henry, Earl of Northumberland and Arundel (1512-1539) M Cecily Fitzalan
William (1529-1580) Disinherited M Anna Wintour
Andrew (1550) M Katherine Petrie
Algernon (1570)
Margaret (1573)
Charles (1553) M Katherine Hoghton
Joseph (1576)
Charles (1579)
Augustus (1581)
George (1557-1580)
Alexandra (1559) M Robert Catesby
Anne (1533-1548) M Robert Dudley

The House of Northumberland II
John Dudley, Earl of Northumberland (created 1539, d1579) M Jane Guildford
John (1526-1557) M Elizabeth Neville
Catherine (1550) M Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond
Phillipa (1554) M Matthew Grey
Jane (1556) M Edmund Grey
Ambrose, Lord Tyne (1528-1551)
Robert Earl of Northumberland(1529) M Anne Percy (d1548)
Elizabeth (1547) M Edward Bolton
Isabel (1548) M Thomas Stanley
M Catherine Cecil (b1531)
William Earl of Newcastle (1551) M Frances Cavendish
John (1569)
Catherine (1570)
Cecily (1571)
Ambrose (1572)
William (1574)
Margaret (1553) M Owen Berners
Anne (1555) M John Leveston
Andrew (1578)
Jane (1557) M William Harris
Kate (1558) M William Stanley
Andrew (1560) M Elizabeth Grey
Richard (1580)
Guildford (1532) M James, Lord Verne
Margaret (1535-1560) M Sir Martin Langborough
Martin (1550) M Katherine Persons
Martin (1573)
Jane (1575)
Jane (1553-1575) M Roger Frecheville
Katherine (1558) M Thomas Newstead
Catherine (1541) M John, Lord Haddon
Margaret (1561)
John (1567)

The House of Tudor
Children of Arthur Tudor (b1485)
Henry, Earl of Richmond, Lord Flint (b1509-1571) M Frances Brandon
Jane (1528) M William Hartson (see above)
Henry, Earl of Richmond (1531-1578) M Margaret Boleyn
Henry, Earl of Richmond (1554) M Catherine Dudley
Henry (1573)
Margaret (1575)
Edward (1576)
Arthur (1555) M Helen Stanley
George (1579)
Margaret (1556) M Charles Cavendish
Frances (1558) M William of Brunswick-Luneberg
Martin (1559)
Elizabeth (1561) M Hector Hartson
Anne (1533) M Phillipe de Gastines
Helene (b1558) M Henri of Brittany
Gaspard (b1560)
Edward (1536), Bishop of Worcester
Anne (b1514) M Sir Robert Williams
Owen Williams (1538) M Catherine Seymour
Rhys Williams (1559) M Emma Grey
Arthur Williams (1580)
Margaret (1541) M Edward of Brittany (below)
Edward(b1517) M Jane Seymour
Edward (1538) M Catherine Grey
Edward (1559)
Jane (1539) M Richard Bolton
Geraldine (1541) M William Hastings
Katherine (1544) M Thomas of Oudenberg
Henry Tudor, Lord Hampton, Earl of Columbia, Viceroy (1491) M Anne Boleyn
(see New World People)


The House of Warwick
Margaret Plantagenet (1519) M Lord Richard Bolton, Earl of Warwick (from 1539)
Richard, Earl of Warwick (b1540) M Jane Tudor
Henry (1560) M Sophie of Brunswick
Robert (1581)
Cecily (1563)
William (1567)
Margaret (1569)
Eleanor (b1542) M Edward of Huntingdon
Edward (b1546) M Elizabeth Dudley
Catherine (1573)

The House of Pembroke-Gloucester
Richard, Earl of Pembroke and Gloucester, Master of Arms and Horse (1515-1579) M Dorothea of Denmark
Richard the Younger, Earl of Pembroke-Gloucester, Master of Arms and Horse (1532-1579) M Anna-Sophia of Prussia
Albert, Earl of Pembroke, Duke of Prussia(1553) M Catherine of Frisia
Albert-Henry (1577)
Margaret (1579)
Sophia (1556) M Conrad of the Palatinate
Dorothea (1536) M Richard Grey (see below)
Christian (1538) M Roberta Chancellor
Richard (1559) M Catherine Berners
Magnus the Red, Viscount Don, Master of Arms and Horse(1539) M Anne Seymour
Jane (1561) M Jacques Nompar de Caumont
John (1581)
Magnus (1563)
Richard (1568)
Anna (1570)


The House of Woodville-Grey
William Grey, Marquess of Dorset (1502-53) M Margaret de la Pole
Edward Grey, Marquess of Dorset (1531) M Elizabeth Farnham
Anne (1555) M Richard St Leger
Emma (1557) M Rhys Williams
Lionel (1560) M Elizabeth Seymour
Anne (1580)
Margaret (1533) M Matthew Seymour
Diana (1535) M Henry de la Pole
Martin Grey, Lord Bath (1535) M Anne de Montgard
Matthew (1559) M Phillipa Dudley
John (1578)
Katherine (1579)
Anne (1562)
William (1566)

Thomas Grey, Earl of Kent (1512-1579) M Isabel Leigh
Catherine (1532) M Edward Tudor (see above)
Richard Grey, Earl of Kent (1534) M Dorothea of Pembroke-Gloucester
William (1553) M Josephine of Brittany
Tobias (1571)
Eliza (1574)
Wilfred (1579)
Edmund (1555) M Jane Dudley
Thomas (1575)
Frances (1576)
Helen (1577)
Joan (1578)
Elizabeth (1557) M Andrew Dudley


Wider Court
John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln, Lord Protector (1516-1574) M Margaret of Pembroke-Gloucester
Edward Earl of Lincoln (1537) M Elisabeth of Hesse
Phillip (1556) M Bridgette of Oudenberg
John (1576)
Barbara (1579)
Christina (1559) M George Hartson
Henry Earl of St Albans(1539) M Diana Grey
Elizabeth (1560)
Edward (1562)
Richard (1563)
Catherine (1565)
Margaret (1567)
Elizabeth (1541-1560) M Sir Roger Wimborne
Gerald (1519) M Frances Brandon (d1542)
Frances (1541) M Edward Hastings
Isabel (1542) M Frederick of Oudenburg
M Elizabeth Midmay
Walter (1546) M Sophie Bradbury
Walter (1569)
Isabel (1571)
William (1549) M Frances Stanley
Gerald (1569)
Frances (1570)
Thomas (1571)
Catherine (1521) M Thomas Stanley

Henry Stanley, Earl of Derby (1493-1542) M Elizabeth Dudley
Mary (1519) M Thomas of Oudenberg
Thomas Stanley, Earl of Derby (1523-1581) M Catherine de la Pole
Jane (1546) M William Hartson Jnr
Catherine (1548) M Thomas Cromwell
Frances (1549) M William de la Pole
Thomas, Lord Monmouth(1551-1578) M Isabel Dudley, Lady of Derby
Thomas, Earl of Derby (1572)
William (1576)
Phillipa (1578)
Richard (1553) M Jane Seymour
Helen (1556) M Arthur Tudor
Margaret (1558) M Ralph, Lord Erie
Roger (1579)
William (1563) M Kate Dudley

Edward, Lord Hastings (1515-1546) M Margaret de Lacy
Margaret (1532)
William, Lord Hastings (1534-1578) M Geraldine Tudor
Edward, Lord Hastings (1560)
William (1580)
Gerald (1536) M Anne Hamilton
Richard (1560) M Elizabeth Grey
Edward (1538) M Frances de la Pole
Edward (1561)
Richard (1562)
Annabelle (1564)
Sophie (1540) M Thomas Boleyn


Thomas Catesby, Earl of Humber (1501-1538) M Sophie of Guelders
Phillip (1532-1565) Disinherited M Mary de Bourbon
Robert (1557) M Alexandra Percy
Elizabeth (1579)
Ferdinand (1559) M Jane Vaux
Thomas (1578)
Martha (1561) M Robert Wintour

William Cavendish, Earl of Humber (1539 creation) (1505-1572) M Bess of Hardwick
Frances (1548) M William Dudley, Earl of Newcastle
Henry, Earl of Humber (1550) M Hedwig of Wurttemberg
Elizabeth (1570)
Barbara (1573)
Florence (1574)
Charles (1575)
William (1552) M Florence St Leger
William (1574)
Charles (1553-1575) M Margaret Tudor
Jane (1572)
Margaret (1573)
Elizabeth (1555) M Saul Berners


Mary Boleyn (1500) M Richard of Warwick (see above)
Thomas Boleyn Jnr, Imperial Chancellor (1501-1581) M Anne Brandon
Robert (1521-1574) M Margaret Seymour
Thomas, Earl of Wiltshire, Imperial Chancellor (1543) M Sophie Hastings
Joanna (1571)
Anne (1573)
William (1579)
Barbara (1545) M Thomas Bradbury
Catherine (1548) M William Drury
Robert (1569)
Anne (1571)
Margaret (1573)
Margaret (1527) M Henry Tudor
Anne (1502) M Henry Tudor, Lord Hampton (see above)
Henry (1502), Bishop of Ely
George (1503-1568), Lord Cambrai M Anne de Brabant
Matthew Lord of Cambrai (1529) M Francesca Van Uylunburg
Georgina (1550) M Henry Hartson
Frederick (1554) M Eleonore of Wurttemberg
Georg (1576)
Katerina (1578)


Edward Seymour, Earl of Surrey (1500-1572) M Margaret Stanley
John, Earl of Surrey and Bedford, Lord Protector(1525) M Frances Russell
Richard (1548) M Barbara Berners
Edward (1576)
Mercy (1579)
Thomas (1550) M Anne Middleton
Joan (1574)
Margaret (1577)
Richard (1580)
Jane (1553) M Richard Stanley
Elizabeth (1556) M Lionel Grey
Catherine (1526) M Owen Williams
Margaret (1528) M Robert Boleyn
Thomas (1508) Bishop of Oxford

Anthony, Earl of Arundel (1508-1571) M Mary Fitzalan
Matthew, Earl of Arundel (1532) M Margaret Grey
Martha (1558) M Henry Grey
Anthony (1559) M Katherine of Conde
Andrew (1580)
Anne (1538) M Magnus of Pembroke-Gloucester



Ireland
Queen Margaret Plantagenet (1517-1559) M Matthew O’Neill, Earl of Dungannon
Michael I, King of Ireland (1541) M Phillipa of Hesse (d1574)
Matthew, Prince of Breffni (1569)
Richard (1571)
Beatrice (1574)
M Jane Butler
Anthony (1579)
Robert, Earl of Meath (1543) M Margaret Sydenham
Edward (1565)
Robert (1568)
Martha (1573)
Joanna (1547) M Edward Packenham



Owen Butler, Earl of Kildare M Anne Fitzgerald
Richard (1549)M Joanna Huntingdon
Robert (1568)
Elizabeth (1569)
George (1570)
Thomas (1571)
Jane (1572)
Jane (1551) M King Michael I

Edward Packenham (1555), Earl Longford M Joanna Plantagenet
Michael (1581)

Henry Grey (1540),Warden of Athlone M Elizabeth Scudamore
Henry (1560) M Martha Fitzalan
William (1561)
Elizabeth (1564) M Richard Hastings
Joan (1564)

Martin Lewis, Archbishop of Armagh
William Ward, Archbishop of Dublin

Leinster Company Sir Thomas Lucan
Ulster Company Sir Thomas Sydney
Munster Company

Scotland
Margaret I, Queen of Scotland (d1544)
Anne I Queen of Scotland (1528-1548) M Manuel Plantagenet, Lord of Brest (d1551)
James VI (b1548) M Anna Plantagenet (b1550)
Margaret (1568-1569)
Richard (1571)
Anne (1576)

New World Key People
Henry Tudor, Lord Hampton, Earl of Columbia, Viceroy (1491-1552) M Anne Boleyn
Elizabeth (1520) M John St Leger
Margaret (1523) M Martin Berners
Catherine (1526) M Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conde
Edward (1527-1579)Earl of Colombia M Margaret Hastings
Henry, Earl of Colombia (1552) M Beatrice de Coligny
Henry (1573)
Margaret (1574)
Elizabeth (1575)
John (1577)
Kate (1580)
Christopher (1555) M Harriet Cholmondley
Bastard Son: John (1509) M Bridget Maze
Arthur (1529) M Catherine Challinor
Mark (1550)
Robert (1556)
Hannah (1558)

Robert Parker, Duke of Barrow M Jane Berners
Thomas (1562)
Elizabeth (1564)
Roger (1565)

William Raleigh, Duke Goughton, Viceroy M Alice Jackson
Walter Duke Goughton (1550) M Anna-Louise Hartson
Walter Jnr (1571)
Alice (1573)
Bridget (1575)
Jane (1578)
Giovanni (1581)
Nathaniel (1581)
William (1552) M Elizabeth Kendrick
Catherine (1574)
Tabitha (1576)
William (1577)


Reginald Bradbury, Duke of Hartsport M Mary Carlisle
Thomas (1546) M Barbara Boleyn
Anne (1565)
Reginald (1567)
Arthur (1569)
Sophie (1547) M Walter de la Pole
Gerald (1549) M Norma Camden
Elizabeth (1571)
Agnes (1573)
Joanna (1574)
Freda (1575)

John St Leger, Duke of Avon M Elizabeth Tudor
Richard (1551) M Anne Grey
Tobias (1571)
Sarah (1574)
Jane (1576)
Martin (1578)
Florence (1553) M William Cavendish

Martin Berners, Duke of Lothian M Margaret Tudor
Barbara (1550) M Richard Seymour
Owen (1553) M Margaret Dudley
Malcolm (1574)
Diana (1575)
David (1578)
Jane (1581)
Catherine (1555) M Richard Christianson
Saul (1556) M Elizabeth Cavendish
John (1579)
Katherine (1581)

Bradbury: Huguenots
Louis, Prince of Conde (1530) M Eleanor de Roucy (d1558)
Henri (1552) M Vera de Coligny
Louis (1578)
Bona (1579)
Louisa (1580)
Margaret (1556) M Edward Prince of Wales
Charles (1557) M Elizabeth Du Plessis
Joan (1578)
Pascal (1581)
Francois (1558) M Margaret French
Rene (1577)
Lorraine (1580)
M Catherine Tudor
George (1560) M Margaret Cromwell
Katherine (1561) M Anthony Fitzalan

Gaspard II de Coligny M Anna Plantagenet
Beatrice (1555) M Henry Tudor, Earl of Colombia
Vera (1557) M Henri de Conde
Tristram (1560) M Marguerite de Rohan-Gle
Richard (1580)
Gaspard (1562)

Rene of Rohan-Gle M Cecily Plantagenet
Jean-Pierre (b1542) M Blanche Duboisier
Marguerite (1563) M Tristam de Coligny
Clarissa (1564)
Anna-Marie (1466)
Edward (1469)
Michel (1544) M Beatrice of Brittany
Rene (1567)
Louis (1569)

Henry Morley, Duke of Albion M Mary Bland
Thomas (1563)
Catherine (1565)

Diarmud O’Neill, ‘King’ of Tir na Gaeilge M Makoga of the Creek
Seamus (1553-1581?)
Aodh (Hugh) (1556) M Maeve O’Donnell
Fionn (1579)
Brida (1559) M Ross O’Flaherty
Padraic (1563)
Lako (1565)

Hampton Company Sir Michael Brandon
Goughton Company
Avon Company Sir Tomas Checker
Albion Company
Hartsport Company

Asia
Imagawa Yoshimoto, Shogun of Japan (1519-1572)
Imagawa Ujizane (1538), Shogun
Edward Bentley, Britannic Ambassador to the Shogun (1531)
John Gillingham, Commander of the Southam Company, Samurai to the Imagawa (1535)

John Lok, Explorer and founder of the Imperial Cathay Company (1528)

European Key People
Brittany
Duke Edward of Brittany (1516) M Beatrice Landais
Edward D’Anglais (1541) M Margaret Tudor
Henri (1561) M Helene d’Gaspard
Marguerite (1564) M Richard of Huntingdon
Beatrice (1543) M Michel de Rohan-Gle
Josephine (1546) M William Grey

Brest Company Patrice Sables
Rennes Company Edward D’Anglais

Former Empire
Duchess Anna of Austria M Albert V of Bavaria (d1548)
Duke William of Bavaria (b1548) M Isabella Della Revere
Augustus (1569)
Charles (1570)
Barbara (1571)
Hedwig (1572)
Caterina (1573)
Maximillian II ‘The Last Emperor’ (1527-1558) M Maria of Bavaria
Ferdinand (b1551) King of Bohemia and Hungary, Archduke of Austria M Maria Priuli
Maximillian (1576)
Rudolf (1578)
Maria (1580)

Protestant Germany
Otto-Henry of the Rhine Palatinate (d1577)M Amalia of Cleves
Wilhelm, Elector Palatine(1546) M Sophia of Oudenberg
Otto-Frederick (1567)
Henrietta (1568)
Sophia (1569)
Greta (1571)
Christina (1572)
Klaus (1575)
Sophie-Anna (1549) M Arthur Hartson
Conrad (1553) M Sophie of Pembroke-Gloucester
Rickard (1573)
Carlotta (1575)
Louisa (1577)
Dorothea (1579)

Phillip of Hesse
Agnes (1527-1554) M John Frederick II of Saxony
Anna (1529) M Wolfgang of Zweibrucken
William (1532-1549)
Barbara (1536) M Edward VI (see above)
Louis (1537-1551)
Elisabeth (1539) M Edward de la Pole
Phillipa (1541) M Michael I of Ireland
Christine (1543) M Riker of Oudenberg
George, Duke of Hesse (1547) M Elizabeth of Brandenburg
Franck (1565)
Isabella (1566)
Gertrude (1569)
Agnes (1571)
Paul (1573)

John Frederick II of Saxony (b1529) M Agnes of Hesse(d1524)
John Frederick III (1553) M Sabine of Wurttemberg
Anna (1576)
John Frederick IV (1577)
Hermann (1578)
Johann (1579)
Martha (1580)

Christoph of Wurttemberg M Anna Maria of Margrave-Ansbach
Hedwig (1547) M Henry Cavendish
Elisabeth (1548) M Frederick of Brandenberg
Sabine (1549) M John Frederick III
Emilie (1550) M Christoph, Count of Haigerloft
Eleonore (1552) M Frederick Boleyn
Ludwig (1554) M Isabel Dudley
John-Christoph (1577)
Esmerelda (1579)
Edvard (1556) M Clara of Pomerania
Otto (1576)
Marta (1557 M William of Nassau
Ulrich (1558) M Eleanor of Huntingdon
Joanna (1580)

Albert, Margrave of Brandenburg M Isabel of Eltham
Frederick, Margrave of Brandenberg (1543) M Elizabeth of Wertemberg
Casimir (1544) M Elizabeth Lees
Elizabeth (1546) M George of Hesse

Wolfgang of Anhalt-Kothlen (1492-1551) M Sophia of Gelsenkirchen
Freda (1518) M Edward of Oudenberg (see above)

William of Brunswick-Luneberg (1535-1580) M Elizabeth Hartson
William, Duke of Brunswick-Luneberg (1560) M Frances Tudor
Giovanni (1580)
Elizabeth (1581)
Sophie (1561) M Henry Bolton
Arthur (1563)


Netherlands
William I of the Netherlands (1533) M Joanna Plantagenet (1536)
William (1557) M Marta of Hesse
Edward (1559) M Catherine Wyatt
Anne (1560) M William of Guelders

Phillip of Guelders (b1509) M Elizabeth of Eltham (b1511)
Edward, Duke of Guelders, Lord Eltham (b1541) M
William (1563) M Anne of Nassau
Edward (1565)
Margaret (1567)

John Duke of Cleves (d1555)
Sybille (1512) M John Frederick I of Saxony
Anne (1515) M Richard IV of England (see above)
William, Duke of Julich-Cleves-Berg (1516) M Anne of Oudenberg
Anna (1542-1571) M Willem van Beeman
John (1545) M Margaret Hastings
William (1569)
Claudia (1571)
Elizabeth (1576)
Tabitha (1547) M Edmund of Frisia
Martin (1549) M Hilda von Teuterberg
Sybille (1570)
Anna (1571)
Amalia (1517) M Otto-Henry of Palatinate

Edzard II, Count of East Frisia M Katerina of Oudenberg
Edmund (1549) M Tabitha of Cleves
Margaret (1573)
Diana (1574)
Anne (1576)
Richard (1579)
William (1581)
Catherine (1556) M Albert of Pembroke-Gloucester
 
Demographics
Ah yes here is also a post I ended Vol III with, for those who havn't seen it

Britannic Empire: England and Wales

Formally united in government since the mid 16th century, Wales still remains very much the junior partner. Generally across the two countries literacy is much higher than OTL with around 65% of men able to read and write to some extent, although fluent literacy is only around 45%. This is however regional with London having a fluent male literacy rate close to 60% compared to , for example, Gwynedd where it is under 20%. Much of this is down to trade and education, with all towns over 5,000 people having a grammar school by 1581, although the size and quality, like literacy in general, improves the further south and east that you go.

Population-wise this is also bigger than OTL with Wales around 300,000 people (c50% higher than OTL) and England 6.5 million (compared to 4.1 OTL). Remember this is after emigration to the Empire has been taken into account. Despite the losses in wars, the prosperity and growth of the 16th century saw a huge population boom across the Empire but especially in England. This was largely encouraged by social mobility with larger families being able to be supported by trade and the Empire. Of course this means that wealth and standard of living is generally higher than OTL, though there are exceptions.

Rural areas, especially in the north, mid-Wales and Cornwall experienced slower population and standard of living growth as enclosures curtailed agricultural expansion and led to migration either to urban areas or overseas. This migration has led to some ‘slum’ areas in these urban areas, London, York and Bristol being the main cities. London in particular has a population of 350,000 (compared to 200,000 OTL) largely thanks to its place as the centre of the Empire, trade and the entry point for immigrants/refugees from Europe. Areas such as Cheapside and Battersea are particularly poor.

Religion-wise England and Wales are largely Protestant - around 75% with around a third of these being Puritanical in nature. Given the strength of the reformation in England ITTL (Luther himself visited numerous times) the country is around 50 years ahead of OTL religiously by 1581 with the south and east being very Puritan, London is almost 50% Puritan, 45% Protestant and 5% other. Like OTL the north is less Protestant in general with Catholics especially entrenched. Until the late 1560s ITTL there was little overt persecution of Catholics and even then it was more restrained than OTL. The unfortunate side-effect of this is that England of the Sons in Splendour is far more religiously divided by 1581 than OTL: the remaining Catholics are concealed, deep-rooted, and many of them are radical, whilst Protestantism is swinging more quickly and strongly towards Puritanism than OTL.

Wales is a similar pattern: Catholics are isolated and rural, but are much weaker than in England, with around 75% of the population being Protestants of some form. Puritans tend to be more prevalent in the south and east of Wales but generally lower education, prosperity and literacy means a higher prevalence of regular Protestants.

Wales is ethnically unchanged from OTL - it is not a major point of immigration. England is largely unchanged also, although urban areas are more cosmopolitan than OTL 1581. The major ports of London, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Bristol have more Scots, Irish and Welsh living in them as sailors whilst French is the second most spoken language in London thanks to Huguenot immigration, though less than 10,000 of them came to England, most settled in the capital.

London is the centre of the Empire and as such it has a large number of ethnic minorities. Around 90% are English with the other ‘British’ races accounting for another 5%. However this 5% is largely Anglicised Gentry and traders - Irish and Welsh - are barely spoken outside of their homelands. The remaining 5% is made up of 2% Huguenot French 1% Jewish (mostly from eastern and central Europe, but some from the new world) and then the remaining 2% is a mix of Protestant Dutch, German and Scandinavian with less than 100 Colombian, Norland and Japanese natives thrown in.

Scotland (not officially in the Empire politically or dynastically, but for all intents and purposes they are a vassal in all but name).

The benefits south of the border have been slow to trickle north. Scotland ITTL is around 10% more populated and 15% more literate than OTL, though again they have some some minor emigration to the New World. Ethnically still homogenous and religiously similar to England: a Protestant elite tending to Puritanism with a rural Catholicism entrenched especially in the most remote areas.

Ireland
The Emerald Isle took a beating in the 16th century, especially the 1570s. Numerous Irish-Catholic rebellions did not cause de-population as such but had a huge demographic impact. Ireland of the Sons in Splendour is more English, educated and Protestant than OTL 1581.

Many plantations into Leinster and eastern Ulster removed the Irish landowners, and even around 80% of the peasantry in some areas. From 1530-1575 the response of the government in Dublin to any dissent was to evict troublemakers and send them to Connacht or the New World, replacing them with English settlers and gentry. These new settlers wanted the same education as their peers back in England and so Irish towns had grammar schools too. They were also Protestants. In particular some settlers from East Anglia who settled around Kildare, Meath and Wicklow were rather Puritan. By 1581 Ireland was around 40% Protestant and 10% Puritan, the rest being Catholic.

The Catholic Irish bore the cost for this greater education, Anglicisation, and Protestantism without really gaining from any of it. The Catholic Irish population of Ireland by 1581 was half that of OTL (around 600,000 not 1.2 million) with the remainder being scattered across the island with no particular concentration. Much of this lost population came from Connacht and the Black Summer of 1580 but also western Munster and then to a lesser extent east Munster, west Leinster and western Ulster most of it carted off to the New World plantations as slaves, thoguh before 1579 they were sent to the Irish exile colony . The remaining Irish were entirely from the lower orders, largely uneducated and Protestant. King Michael began a slow process of assimilation - through education and the Church - in the 1580s to change this, but he was being incredibly cautious

Europe
Brittany
The Duchy had maintained its de facto independence under the umbrella of the Britannic Empire. Led by a cadet branch of the House of York (King Richard IV’s younger brother Edward) Brittany had been able to secure its own culture whilst benefiting from the Empire.

Brittany was 35% more populous than OTL and 45% more literate. Again this was an imbalance towards more urban areas. The rural hinterland was unchanged in some areas whilst ports of St Malo, Nantes, St Nazaire, Lorient and Brest were on average 20% larger than OTL. The Breton particularly benefited from Imperial trade as the Norland Trading Company in particular favoured their sailors but also their ships in general as more impartial and less likely to be accosted in Catholic ports across Europe. By 1581 it was increasingly common for young Breton men to seek work on the coast or at sea.

Brittany was the one exception in the Britannic Empire in being largely Catholic. Around 75% of Brittany was Catholic by 1581 although the remainder were French Huguenots who had been able to settle with breton borders. By 1581 these borders included Brittany, Nantes and the Vendee. The trend was slowly moving towards the Protestants, but at a rate of around 2-4% a year. Very little effort was made, as it was elsewhere, to convert Catholics to Protestantism. The Duke made constant use of his Breton veto on all but military matters to keep Brittany as independent and Catholic as possible as Breton society was especially sensitive to any external cultural pressure on them.

Normandy
1581 marked the 50th anniversary of ITTL Normandy’s return to the Plantagenet fold. Demographically it was around 50% Protestant with any Catholic dissenters being sent over the border (or even to Brittany) and being replaced by Huguenot, and small number of English settlers. Other than this Normandy was largely unchanged from OTL, population and literacy were both similar; Britannic advantages being cancelled out by a very long and exposed border with France.

Picardy
By 1581 this term denoted all of Picardy, the Pas de Calais, Artois and Bruges and Ghent. Picardy was the most Anglicised of Britannia’s European possessions; Calais was fast becoming the second city of the Empire and was the seat of the Imperial Constable, responsible for all foreign diplomacy and war if it came to that.

Calais, and its surrounding area (La Poche) extended as far as Ostend, the Somme and Arras had been controlled by the English for almost a century by 1581 (Calais of course since the 14th century). Owing to generations of war the Catholic French population had all but gone, with around 10% clinging on by 1581. 90% of this area was therefore Protestant and English-speaking by 1581 as settlers moved in. Literacy areas in the former Poche were around 50% with Calais similar to London with 60% of the population fluently literate. Calais was a trade and military hub.

Beyond the Poche was the fringe of Picardy added since 1531: Amiens, Ghent and Bruges. Amiens was around 70% English Protestant with the region following the same trend as La Poche just 30 years or so behind. Bruges and Ghent were only acquired in 1580 and so are largely Catholic though Bruges is ever so slightly more Protestant (20%) than OTL given its proximity to English Ostend. Population in these areas was similar to OTL though in La Poche it was 20% higher.

Netherlands and ‘Germany’
Largely Protestant save for the newly acquired Brussels, Liege and Antwerp giving the Netherlands around 60% Protestants. Without the Spanish rampaging across it as OTL the population is 40% higher, as it also benefits from trade with the Britannic Empire. Protestantism controls much of OTL 21st century Germany save Bavaria which is staunchly Catholic. In the rest of Protestant Germany pogroms mean that around 25% of the population is still Catholic but this is shrinking fast. Germany’s population is on average 10% higher than OTL but areas such as Hesse and Hamburg are even higher.

The Hansa are effectively dead (100 years ahead of OTL). Their OTL setbacks in the Baltic still happen but the north sea and beyond is completely closed off by the Britannic Empire. By relying on their Protestantism and their ties to the League of Copenhagen cities like Hamburg and Lubeck have survived though having divested themselves of the Hansa. Rostock is the largest Hanseatic city still going.

Catholic Europe
Portugal is unchanged from OTl on all counts, still has its Empire whilst Spain and France are 30% less populous than OTL thanks to their Empire and northern territory respectively being taken from them. Catholicism is as strong as OTL and education is a little behind OTL. Italy is largely unchanged.

Austria and Bavaria are more or less united as the HRE fell. Though they remain as Catholic as OTL the fall of the Empire means they are around 30% behind OTL in terms of population and prosperity. Eastern Europe largely unchanged, though Hungary is stronger as the Ottomans were less bellicose following decades of succession squabbles.

New World
Avon-Lothian (OTL Massachusetts north to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland)
Population: 100,000. 80% English (especially West-Country), 15% Scottish, 5% friendly Native (mostly Inuit)
Religion: 90% Protestant, 5% Catholic, 5% native beliefs
Literacy: c45%
Trade: Timber, Shipbuilding, Furs, Fish, some minor Agriculture

Goughton (OTL Virginia and some of North Carolina)
Population: 250,000: 45% English (West Country and North), 15% French Huguenot, 5% Friendly Natives (including c2,000 Aztec exiles), 35% African Slaves
Religion:65% Protestant, 35% Native/African beliefs
Literacy 40% (largely Europeans)
Trade: Tobacco, Sugar

Bradbury (OTL Carolinas and eastern Georgia)
Population 450,000: 30% Huguenot, 25% African Slaves, 40% Irish Slaves 5% English
Religion: 35% Protestant, 25% African beliefs, 40% Catholic
Literacy: 25% (Again, EUropeans only)
Trade: Cotton, Sugar

Hampton (OTL Florida)
Population: 320,000: 80% English, 15% Huguenot, 5% Native
Religion: 95% Protestant, 5% Native Beliefs
Literacy: 50%
Trade: Sugar, Tobacco, other cash crops (eg Citrus), light industry e.g. weapons

Tir na Gaeliege (OTL Florida Panhandle and Alabama)
Population: 100,000: 60% Irish, 5% Scot, 34% Native (Creek mostly), 1% English (garrison)
Religion: 65% Catholic, 34% Native religions (increasing overlap between these 2), 1% Protestant
Literacy: 10%
Trade: a little subsistence crops, Sugar, seafood

Colombian islands (Mostly OTL Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Aruba, T&T, Bahamas, Barbados)
Population 200,000: 45% English, 10% Welsh, 5% Natives, 5% Spanish, 5% Free black, 30% African Slaves
Religion: 60% Protestant, 5% Catholic, 35% Native/African religions
Trade: Tobacco, Sugar, Cotton, Cacao

Gran Colombia (OTL Mexico)
Population 400,000: 25% English, 5% Welsh/Breton, 5% Huguenot, 15% African Slaves, 40% Natives (Aztecs etc), 10% Creole/Pigden
Religion: 38% Protestant, 3% Catholic, 59% African/native/syncretic beliefs
Trade: Tobacco, Cotton, Sugar, Cacao, Precious metals

Barrow (OTL Ecuador, Peru, northern Chile and western Bolivia)
Population: 350,000: 15% English, 35% Native, 50% African Slave
Religion: Protestant 15%, 85% Native/African beliefs
Trade: Precious metals

Venezuela (acquired by Britannia 1580)
Population 150,000: 10% Spanish, 10% English, 45% Free Black, 35% Natives
Religion 10% CAtholic, 12% Protestant, 78% African/Native Beliefs.

New Canaan Republic (OTL Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and DC)
Population 230,000: 15% English, 10% Huguenot, 35% Jewish (mostly eastern and central European, some from England and Iberia too), 25% Czech Hussite, 15% Native
Religion 50% Protestant, 35% Jewish, 15% Native Beliefs
Literacy 65% (huge history of education in English and Jewish communities which spread to the others)
Trade: Timber, Subsistence Crops, Banking, Shipping, soldiers/sailors, Furs, weapons/light industry

Let me know if you spot any Maths errors, its not my strong suit!
 
First off, I am ecstatic to see this continuing. Second is something that has constantly been on my mind. I've been curious how English as a language would have developed/been influenced by the different circumstances 'England' has found itself in. Likewise for the other languages of the empire
 
First off, I am ecstatic to see this continuing. Second is something that has constantly been on my mind. I've been curious how English as a language would have developed/been influenced by the different circumstances 'England' has found itself in. Likewise for the other languages of the empire
Great question, t b honest I hadnt thought about it too much. Given that English OTL by this point was very regionalised in terms of accent and idioms I would expect the New World colonies to be similarly diverse.

So English is still the dominant language but expect it influenced by Scots in New Lothian, West Country in New Avon, northern and the Cornish language in Goughton and then a huge range in ITTLs Mexico.

Given that OTL Spanish in Mexico was influenced by nahuatl and other languages, expect the same here with English.

Back in Europe I expect English has stayed the same on thr mainland, but there must be more french elements used by those living in what was northern France. Brittany too would still be Breton but now would have more English idioms and words.

The big language changes are back in the New World. Tir na Gaeliege obviously relies on Irish, but after 3 generations of mixing with Scots and Creek languages it will already be a different language to that spoken in the homeland. I wish I understood enough about language to have a crack at synthesising a new one because it would be so interesting.

Finally though is the New Canaan Republic, take equal parts yiddish, czech and english, season with dutch, german and polish, with a dash of spanish for good measure and you get 'New Canaanite'. Imagine Afrikaans but where the root languages dont all come from Latin derivatives. This would be, by far the coolist language ITTL. Given that it is a highly educated society we can expect books and education in this language, although the root languages will still be spoken of course.

Feel free t suggest changes, I enjoyed thinking about this stuff.
 
Prologue
Prologue: Memory Lane
3rd April 2020, steps of Westminster Abbey, Free City of London, United Kingdoms of Britannia

It wasn’t raining. Yet. But the wind still blew around the spires of London, trapped in the pit of the courtyard in front of Westminster Abbey. Global Warming? What a joke, thought Arthur Lagarde.

The School party from Hartbury College were straggling down the steps of the Abbey into the maelstrom, following the tweed jacket of Mr McShane. The afternoon - a tour through the Britannia wing - had been as boring as Arthur had expected; more dead white guys. Just stone edifices with no emotion or resonance with him. In short, dull.

Art hadn’t seen Rook the caretaker again, which was a shame, the old guy was actually the most interesting thing in the dusty old Abbey. His conversation had stayed with Art over lunch and into the afternoon, he had even looked up Thomas Wyatt whilst the rest of the class were robbed by the Abbey cafe for stale sandwiches. Turned out ‘Old Tom’ had been quite the legal mind, it was him who had come up with the idea of Imperial Prerogative, if only he had known the damage that would later cause. Beyond that, Art had felt a strange affinity with the man; he hadn’t been born to wealth but had worked his way up through skill in an age when that was rare.

He was still musing on the long-dead lawyer when Fionnula Stratton - everyone called her Finn - sidled up to him and gave him a thwack on the arm. ‘Oi day-dreamer!’ she said in her strange accent; a mix of Ulster and Brixton. Art jumped slightly and fixed the short red-head with a false grimace of exaggerated annoyance. ‘Sorry Finn, drifted off there for a moment.’

‘I can see that’ the girl said turning to face Art and flashing her latest pin badges as they continued to trudge along in the snake of disinterested teenagers. The weak spring sun-light glinted off the white rose of York set in the sun in splendor, and the other dual-colour rose beneath it. ‘Do you like em?’ she asked playfully.

Arthur sighed, she must have bought the badges in the Abbey gift shop, they would have cost a fortune. ‘You’re buying into this whole History trip a little too much aren’t you?’ he asked.

‘Not at all’ Finn said, stroking her two new badges where they nestled on the lapels of her yellow jacket amidst the rainbow, the white dove and the red and white fist of the Free Ulster movement. Finn’s family had been forced to flee Ireland during the Restoration, and even eight years after it collapsed they still hadn’t decided to return. ‘Just wanted a souvenir was all, you know I’m too sharp to buy McShane's ‘strolling through History’ shite’ she nodded at the fire-brand teacher as his bright ginger hair passed under the archway leading from the Abbey Cloister onto Colombia Street which led down to the Thames.

Rush-hour was fast approaching, and Mr McShane wanted to get the trip back on the Tube by Britannia Park before the trams became crammed with grumpy commuters. The man’s ruddy complexion deepened as he saw the already jammed rows of traffic - red buses, dark blue taxis and a myriad of couriers and other vehicles - around Limberg Circus. The large roundabout was notoriously a black hole for traffic, but it made the irate History Teacher even more annoyed all the same.

McShane stopped at a crossing to wait for the lights to change. Art didn’t know why he bothered, the traffic was static in both directions, they could just weave across. Health and Safety he supposed. At least it gave him time to take in Limberg Circus. Arthur had lived in Clapham since his family moved back from Calais in 2009, but it wasn’t like he ever hung around Westminster.

He was surrounded by the History of Britannia; Ancient and Modern. Behind him the spires of Westminster Abbey lanced into the sky, reflected in the sloping glass panels of the god-awful Jowitt Annex to the Imperial Chambers of Justice. Someone had the bright idea to add a modern structure to the courthouse after its 400 year-old facade had been damaged by an IRA bomb in the late 1990s. Rather than stand as a testament to Britannic might and stoicism, it looked like a skyscraper had collapsed onto the Ancient Building. What a mess.

Behind the Chambers of Justice rose the large white slab of the Home Office which stood as a tombstone to all those who died in the service of Britannic Unity; in both Civil Wars and the numerous conflicts across the New World and the Old. To its right, and directly across the Circus stood the ‘Palace of Fraternity, Justice and Peace’ a rather grand name, everyone just called it the Orange building. Art chuckled under his breath. The building was more a light pink than an Orange, but what do you expect with Britannic sense of humour when it was paid for by the Prince of Orange?

In the middle of the circus, on his alabaster pedestal, reared the horse of Giovanni Hartson. Art didn’t like History much, but he liked Giovanni. An Italian born bastard of one of the first Yorks, Giovanni had fought through countless battles to establish a dynasty that survived to this day. Art’s dad always claimed the Lagardes were descended from the Hartsons but had never proven it. The Hartson monument had been designed by someone with a sense of humour though; black granite immortalised the Black Bastard in his final charge into the Last Emperor at Limberg. No wonder a dark horse was sometimes called a Giovanni.

The lights changed, and with an Irish bark, Mr McShane ushered the school party forward across the choked roads, leading Art to turn to face his front and take in the last building on the Circus. The White Classical columns of the Palace of Westminster loomed ahead of him, standing coldly to attention as they had for almost 350 years - surviving more than one global war and years of civil strife. Today the large black railings to its front barred the way for any would-be assassin, nationalist or protester. These were new after that Save the Earth lot had got up the columns last winter with their green banners That had darkly amused Art, he knew of more than a few groups who would have liked to do that, and hadn’t expected the environmentalists to be the first to thwart Palace Security.

The government of Britannia may have changed repeatedly over the previous few centuries, but the seat of that government had stood through it all. McShane led the students down the wide yet crowded pavement toward the river and the Tube Station. Past monuments to the past and present; more of the red and white fist of Free Ulster, the Hardie statue, banners for Save the Earth and Stonewall, the statues of Thomas Attwood, Feargus O’Connor and William Jones and finally a anarchist-nationalist placard trampled into the damp concrete. Art just had enough time to see the upside down face of that Churchill guy - Winston? Wallace? - before he hurried on.

Catching up to Art through the throng of pedestrians, Finn grasped his elbow lightly. ‘What is up with you?’ She said. ‘You’ve been quiet all day?’

Art realised he had been lost in the past once again. ‘Ah sorry Finn, that caretaker I met got me thinking about History.’ The girl laughed ‘that old guy you were skulking about with?’ she smirked ‘don’t tell me he’s got you ‘strolling down Memory Lane’? The last phrase she softened her accent to imitate Mr McShane. ‘The Lord himself will be proud’ she mocked, waving a hand at the teacher still ploughing along at the head of the column.

Art sighed, he really hadn’t thought this through yet. ‘The old guy was telling me about Thomas Wyatt’ he shot back, Finn just looked blank. ‘And I wasnt skulking I was checking Age of Heroes if you must know.’ Finn’s laugh was like a cannon going off. They were passing the Rotunda on their right now. The large circular building where the Council of Britannia met jutting from the end of the Palace. Art continued ‘You know I always found the wordy bits of History boring, but turns out there’s more to it if you just look.’

As if by magic this sentence trailed off as the school group trotted across Westminster Road at the right moment and into Britannia Park. The Park was new, resting on the sight where the Boleyn Hotel had once stood until another IRA bomb had finished what the Germans and Nationalists had started and finally made the old building unsafe. Lord Protector Skinner had ordered it pulled down and replaced with a memorial park just last year, Art hadn’t been here since. The park wasn’t big, no more than a Rugby pitch, but it sat on the Thames overlooking the HMBS Empress Elizabeth and the Solidarity Centre behind it.

A grey relic to Britannia’s past and a gleaming statement of her future. The ‘Old Bess’ as she was still known had been floated up the Thames so that the spirit of the Great War could rest in the heart of London as a reminder of Britannia’s History and the many people who died to protect her. Behind it the glass Pyramid of Solidarity Centre gleamed next to the United Norland Embassy. The structure had been donated by Britannia’s oldest ally, and strongest child, after the Second Civil War, and for a modern building Arthur quite liked it.

Art turned to Finn ‘Like look over there’ he pointed at the dormant Empress and the gleaming pyramid. ‘Our whole past mixed together in a blender and preserved.’ Whenever had he gotten so philosophical? Perhaps his Dad had been right and this trip had been worth it after all.

Finn took Art’s arm. Ok then History Boy’ she said teasingly ‘Come and look at this, McShane’s given us fifteen minutes to let the crowds clear the Tube.’ She led him through a gaggle of tourists straight down to the centre of the park where a statue of Britannia stood above them all with her head bowed. Art had seen enough statues of the woman - her helmet and shield emblazoned with the Cross of Britannia - to last a lifetime but this one was different. Either his recent epiphany about the value of all History or the sombre park he couldn’t tell. ‘Britannia Remembers’ had only been unveiled a few weeks ago before York Day. She was in mourning Arthur realised, her eyes glancing down at the ground, the object of her gaze hidden by the backs of tourists.

‘What’s she looking at?’ He asked Finn. ‘Come on’, she said, ‘Mum brought me last week’. Finn turned and marched back towards the Rotunda behind them before cutting right and down some steps concealed by high bushes. It was quieter down here and the steps curled lazily down and around until Art realised he was standing beneath the crowds of tourists. Looking up he saw Britannia’s sad eyes gazing down at him, her spear laying flat and broken at her feet. He realised he was standing on the rim of a pit which the statue was staring into, and he followed her gaze down to the bottom just a few metres below him.

It was a stone. Well a brick, he thought, with straight (ish) lines, except it was bigger than his moped. It was rectangular and blackened although the original light yellow of the brick shone through in places around the bottom. Then he remembered what he was looking at. The Imperial Stone. The Memory Stone the News Feeds had called it. It had once been a foundation stone for Emperor Richard’s Imperial Hall. Blackened and forgotten by the building’s fiery demise it had lain in the soft London earth for just over 400 years until the demolition crews on the old hotel had found it. Protected and placed at the foot of Britannia, the stone acted as a memory of all the past strife and loss which had made Britannia possible.

As if to prove it, the designers of the memorial had taken a controversial step. Into the Memory Stone they had carved in English the phrase 'We Will Remember Them' and then around it had translated it into Welsh, Old Irish, French, Breton, Scots, Cornish, New Gaelish, Yiddish, Czech, German, Dutch, Canaanite and half a dozen more tongues. All the languages of Britannia and her old Empire. All of them, and those who spoke them, remembered for the ages.

As Arthur Lagarde stared at the scorched stone he realised that it all made sense. Edward V, Cromwell, Hawkins, Wyatt, Giovanni, Hardie, The Three Reformers, Empress Elizabeth. They had each in their own ways contributed to the whole of Britannia, its formation and forging in the fires of History. Sure Giovanni may have been more Art’s kind of guy, but each of them had equally made Britannia the place it was. Not even the Germans, or the IRA, or Churchill's Nationalists had been able to tear it down. He supposed that would have made Edward V, Richard IV and Edward VI - the founders of Britannia - proud.

At that moment. As if in solemn recognition of the fallen. It began to rain.
 
Feel free to fire any questions, I really enjoyed this update, though its totally different from usual! I'll be on regular updates within the week.
 
1581-1583 Domestic Politics
1581-1583: The Changing of the Guard

The Twilight Years: Britannia 1581-1597 by J Franks (2017)

Edward I, Emperor of Britannia, was tired. He became Emperor at the age of 47 after a short but brutal war. The man who had been elevated to the throne of England upon his father’s illness in 1569; young, optimistic, naive, vaguely puritan was gone. The new Emperor had become jaded, cynical and far more pragmatic.

The Low Countries War had only lasted three years but it claimed the lives of the Earls of Pembroke, Huntingdon and Richmond, not to mention the heir to Normandy and a dozen other Lords and over 30,000 Britannic soldiers. The Empire had won the war - and had Bruges, Ghent, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Venezuela to show for it - but the economy was devastated and much of Normandy, Picardy and Flanders were in ruins. Not to mention that Ireland had been deeply scarred by the Connacht Rising and relations with King Michael were strained to breaking point.

To this damage abroad came division at home. Edward had promoted his chums to key positions in England when he became King. With the exception of John Seymour, Earl of Surrey and Bedford as Lord Protector, they had all been pretty dismal failures. John of Antwerp had been replaced by William, Lord Wells (Second son to the deceased Earl of Huntingdon and cousin to the Emperor) as Lord Privy Seal, and Matthew Boleyn had been shunted off to Calais with Sir Thomas Smith becoming Chancellor.

However this still left Surrey and a handful of the King’s inner circle at court who had not shown themselves to be completely useless. As Edward became Emperor in the first months of 1581 these men closed ranks around themselves. Other than Seymour they included Imperial Chancellor Thomas Boleyn III, Chief Justice of the Star Chamber (England’s highest court) Sir Christopher Hatton, Robert Dudley Earl of Northumberland and Edward Grey Marquess of Dorset. Junior members of this circle included Sir Johns Petrie and Leveson with Henry Tudor, the new Earl of Richmond on the periphery.

This inner circle was known as the ‘New Falcons’. They were vaguely Puritan like their Emperor, although still dedicated to the Britannic Church under the ailing Edmund Grindal. However they resented the new heroes which the Low Countries War had thrown up; Magnus the Red, Walter Raleigh and Henry de la Pole, Earl of St Albans. With the exception of Petrie and the Emperor himself none of the New Falcons had fought in the War and they resented the martial skill and prowess of these men, as well their womanising.

In particular the Earl of St Albans had become something of a mentor to the Prince of Wales, they had fought together at Beissen and Mons, and with his string of mistresses he was seen as a bad influence on the Prince. In the Spring of 1581, St Albans was summoned to court by Emperor Edward and awarded with….the Captaincy of Coventry. This was not the prestigious position a war hero deserved. In fact there is an argument for saying that it was St Albans’ light cavalry tactics which took the battles of Mons and Rouen for the Protestant Alliance. In effect he was being packed off to the midlands.

Seymour was responsible for this. After all, he had taken St Albans’ father’s (Earl of Lincoln) place as Lord Protector under tense circumstances in 1570 and had no reason to love the man. In his rage and frustration he found ready support from Magnus the Red, Viscount Don, who brought St Albans under him as Master of Horse. The New Falcons did not like Magnus either, he was faithful to his wife Anne Seymour, and was rather austere in his tastes, but it was his sheer rage and military acumen they disliked. Magnus had carried the day at both Mons and Rouen against all odds and was very much a descendant of Richard of Gloucester.

However, given that Magnus was related to the Lord Protector by marriage, and the King as distant cousins, he was insurmountable, and the New Falcons had to allow him to remain as Master of Arms and Horse. They couldn’t even stop him from passing part of the role to St Albans. Between them the two men stewed in their exclusion and turned their attention to the Britannic Army.

The Army had been organised and mustered well for the Low Countries War, but it had been slow on the battlefield. As Companies they were too slow and at times too large to respond quickly to threats. The quality of their leaders varied wildly from the professional veterans at Calais to the overweight and ambitious gentry of most of the Welsh, Irish and midlands companies. Magnus and St Albans began to implement military reforms to remedy these problems.

Consequently, the factionalism at court merely excluded a disgruntled minority whilst protecting their own interests. The only real problem came with the two Keepers of the Seals. By 1581 The Lord Privy Seal and the Keeper of the Imperial Seal had become political secretaries channelling business between the Privy Council and Imperial Council. Whilst not in theory possessing any political power, Lord Richard Lees had transformed both roles into the two halves of a vital bureaucratic artery in the centre of the Empire. Between them Lords Wells (Privy Seal) and Shevington (Imperial Seal) had a good working relationship but the problem came with the Falcons.

Lord Wells, as a cousin of the King, was similarly impervious to the Falcon’s machinations, and in any case was decidedly on the Puritan end of Anglicanism/Britanicism. Shevington was another matter. The son of a minor Lancashire gentry family, Martin Dalston had been raised to the peerage by the late Emperor Richard at the behest of Lord Lees who had nominated the man as his successor. With both Lees and Emperor Richard gone, Shevington was exposed. It did not help that he was more...flamboyant in his faith. Lancashire was one of the few counties with a sizeable Catholic population, albeit one which had been pushed underground by two generations of forced attendance to Protestant Churches. Lord Shevington would have been mad to display Catholicism in London so openly, and we can’t prove that he was one. However the combined suspicion, his lowly birth, and his exclusion from the New Falcons marked Shevington out as an obstacle to them.

The situation came to a head in September 1581 when Shevington failed to pass on a request by the Lord Protector and Archbishop of Canterbury to the Imperial Council that they discuss the extension of Bishops to Venezuela and the Canary Islands. Whether this was a clerical error, a plot against Shevington, or his deliberate attempt to prevent the extension of Protestantism to these areas is hard to define. If it was the latter then Shevington was playing a dangerous game for very little gain. It seems most likely the matter was accidentally overlooked, although conspiracy theorists like to imagine that Lord Wells failed to pass on this item to his Imperial counterpart at the behest of the Falcons. However there has always been the possibility that Shevington refused to pass this matter along as it was beyond the Lord Protector’s remit, the Keeper of the Imperial Seal could simply have been exercising his authority.

Regardless of the reasons, Seymour, Hatton and Boleyn moved quickly to denounce Shevington. Emperor Edward, who had been subdued and in seclusion at the Palace of Limberg outside London since his coronation, reluctantly came to the capital to deal with the crisis. Edward’s mood at this point could be described as depressed, and he had spent little time on government since he became Emperor leaving it to Surrey, Shevington, Wells and the rest of them. But with his polity descending into factions he acted swiftly.

Shevington was removed from office and sent back to Lancashire to act as a senior judge there, with no further consequences. It seems that he did not resist this move and instead welcomed it. William, Lord Wells was promoted to the Imperial Seal whilst Martin Grey, Lord Bath, became Lord Privy Seal. Though another crony of the Emperor, Bath had at least fought with the London Company in Flanders and had proved himself on the battlefield whilst simultaneously becoming accustomed to the politics of the capital. Indeed Lord Bath would prove himself to be a capable Lord of the Privy Seal helping to push through Magnus’ military reforms in 1586. As for Shevington, he lived out the rest of his career as a senior local official in Lancashire and North Yorkshire before being bludgeoned to death in the pogroms of ‘97.

Though another stain on Emperor Edward’s record, the Shevington affair nonetheless brought him out of his reverie and back into public life. The Imperial Hall was finally finished in time for the by now annual York celebrations in March 1582. Having been commissioned by Emperor Richard after Limberg, the Imperial Hall stood on the Thames just north of Westminster and was a soaring arched hall for councils and banquets with a number of smaller chambers. Large enough to fit over a dozen double decker buses inside of it, the hall in its day stood as a symbol of Yorkist and Britannic power.

In June of 1582 Sir Edward Coke completed his work ‘Laws of Britannia’ under Sir Hugh Price at the Imperial Courts. Coke had begun his study under Emperor Richard who had sought a better way to govern the vast Empire, and he had drawn heavily upon Cromwell and Wyatt’s earlier work. His solution was a type of devolution which today we refer to as federalism.

Passed into law in 1583 by Parliament and ratified across the Empire, Coke’s reforms became collectively known as the Britannia Acts for the way they solidified the bonds of the Empire allowing them to survive the coming storm. Firstly, England and Wales retained their Parliament in London where the Lord Protector would represent the King/Emperor. Together their authority would cover all manners which affected only England, including maintaining the English portions of the armed forces, and would be required to grant Imperial taxation.

Ireland retained King Michael who was given autonomy in his own realm beyond Religious matters and Imperial Taxation. Again Ireland was to pay for its own defence, and as a concession to the Dail in exchange for taxation King Michael created a position of the First Lord. The First Lord was almost identical to the English Lord Protector in that it was chosen by the Dail and the King had the power of veto, in England these roles were reversed. Richard Butler became the first First Lord.

In northern France, the region increasingly called Normandy-Picardy, the Emperor was to appoint a Warden of France who was to have control over defence and all domestic matters but again was required to ascribe to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Emperor when it came to artificial defense. The first Warden was Arthur Hartson who created a Council in Calais of all major Company commanders and landowners to organise defence. This was not a Parliament, but the closest Normandy-Picardy would get for at least a century.

Brittany as ever was completely different and the Britannic Laws barely affected them. Duke Edward continued to rule as a de facto autocrat with a few nobles to assist him. Although he did support Imperial taxation and war when the French threatened him, Brittany remained exempt from Religious control from Brittany.

The final changes were in the New World where the Viceroyalty was split into Norland and Colombia. Like Ireland they were expected to see to thor own defence and uphold the Emperor’s Law, although they would have to contribute financially and militarily if it came to a war. To assist this, two Assemblies were created in Cornel [Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic] and Goughton [Newport News] each led by a Viceroy. Henry Morley became Viceroy of Colombia, leaving Reginald Bradbury’s nose out of joint, and in Norland Raleigh was selected over Tudor, only intensifying their feud.

Taken together the Britannic Laws streamlined and clarified the roles of the parts of the Empire. The Emperor was King of England and as such could appoint the Lord Protector as well as both Viceroy and the Warden of France. Only Ireland and Brittany therefore remained outside of his direct control. However Ireland headed London’s call while ever it still needed their protection, and Brittany tried to chart her own destiny as ever. The only real issue was Imperial prerogative as Coke hadn’t removed this. In theory the Emperor could overrule any subordinate ruler and/or their Parliaments at his own will. This omission alone would almost bring the Empire to its knees.
 
Narrative 1 : Buried Secrets
Vengeance, Simon Scarrow (2011)

William Mason groaned as he stood from his crouching position. Wiping the masonry dust from his hands he turned to glance around the cavernous cellar. In the flickering torch lights he could see his boys putting the finishing touches to the Cellar Columns. The thick stone pillars held up the hall above where they were ornately carved, but down here in the gloomy basement they were just thick and round, connected with archways to hold them all together.

One of the young apprentices came and collected William’s tools from where he had finished working on the final column on the east wall. The boy, no more than 11, kept his head bowed until he came close to the head of the Stonemason’s Guild. ‘Visitor here for you sir’ he mumbled softly. ‘Who is it?’ William asked.

But before the boy replied a taller, older man was running down the stairs to William’s right. ‘Sir!’ the young journeyman yelled as he approached William ‘the Prince of Wales is hear for you sir, he’s coming this way now.’

The news that the Prince of Wales was coming sent a hush through the dark chasm, almost everyone stopped working and turned to look at William. The old Guildsman saw this and turning to them said loudly and firmly ‘everyone out’. Even as the first workers reached the foot of the stairs they were halted by two soldiers in plate armour, their sleeves emblazoned with the white rose of York. The soldiers descended the steps followed by the Prince of Wales himself; tall, lean and fair haired.

As he cleared the steps the crowd of bottled-up stonemasons cannoned up them and out of the cellar. ‘You too Ingham, Leech’ Mason said at the journeyman and the apprentice who were still standing next to him slack-jawed. Woken from their reverie, the two boys rushed to follow their comrades up the stairs.

Then William was standing with the Prince of Wales, flanked by two guards. The Prince was approaching middle age but his features had lost none of their firmness nor vitality. William could see why he was said to be a hit with the ladies. Those Royal, blue, eyes pierced the gloom and reached into every last corner of the dark basement. Satisfied, he turned to the two soldiers and said ‘dismissed’.

As the firm leather boots disappeared up the stairs Edward turned to William. ‘Bill, how are you?’ he said with an easy smile. They had only met once before today, but the future King greeted the stone mason as if they were lifelong friends. ‘Very well your majesty’ Bill said with a bow.

‘Good’ Prince Edward replied. ‘I must say I am very impressed with the work you and your men have performed here, such a marvel this Hall is, I particularly like the private apartments to the north end.’ The Prince of Wales’ tone was light and bouncy, but then it dropped in tone and lightness ‘I have come about our delicate matter?’ he said leaning in, not that his words carried anyway.

William Mason had known this day was coming soon. ‘Yes sire, all is ready for your inspection, please follow me.’ Taking one of the torches from a wall bracket, William led the Prince into the darkest corner of the cellar underneath the stairs where they had to crouch slightly and the torch sputtered under the low ceiling. ‘Subtle like you asked for sire’ Bill said ‘only I know the whole details, I gave the diggers an extra week’s pay and swore them to secrecy. They were all dismissed before we started work down here. They do not know where their work finished.’ All of this whilst he stared at the blank wall.

‘Very good’ The Prince of Wales replied, staring at the same wall. ‘Well you wouldn’t know it was there at all, how is it accessed?’

‘If you pardon me sire’ said Bill as he transferred the torch to his left hand and pointed at the extreme corner with his right hand. ‘Count 5 bricks down and then 3 left.’ He indicated the third brick, it was unremarkable and plain. ‘Then you just give it a good shove’ Placing his weight behind his palm, the Mason pushed forward and the brick gave slightly, a little more and with a snick a small slither of a gap appeared to the left of the recessed brick.

‘Well I’ll say’ the Prince said with a quiet gasp. ‘I have never seen anything like it. You have outdone yourself Master Mason.’ This last sentence was punctuated with the sound of a heavy coin purse landing in William’s unsuspecting hand. ‘Thank you sire’ the Mason rasped.

Putting his hand through the crack and pushing William revealed a narrow tunnel curving down and to the right. Leading with the torch he ventured in, sealing the door behind him. The Prince followed, and started downwards and less than 2 minutes later they reached another sheer brick wall. William reached and pushed another brick to the left of the dead end and the wall swung open once more, to be greeted with a cold blast of air.

The two men emerged into a wide tunnel under the Imperial Hall leading out to the Thames. The Prince was speechless. ‘This tunnel is to be used for the dungeons sire’ William said indicating the boat bobbing at the low quay in the tunnel ‘but this door can be accessed through it, and it will take you up to the cellars. No one save I know of the whole of it.’

The Prince of Wales looked about him and what the master Mason had achieved ‘well Mr Mason I had not thought it possible.’ He produced another heavy pouch of gold from his cloak, handing it to the man he said ‘I shall have three more sent to your home, you have earnt it.

It would be an outrageous sum he knew, but it was more than worth it. For years Prince Edward had tried to sneak his mistresses past his father and his own austere wife. The Puritanical Kill-joy that was now Emperor had threatened him with humiliation and the lash if one of the ‘whores’ were caught again. And so he had turned to William Mason, and asked for an addition to the New Imperial Hall. Something to keep his women secret. This was perfect, a concealed tunnel into the heart of the new palace, no-one would ever know, his secret would be safe. With a sigh of relief from both men they turned back up the secret tunnel sealing it closed behind them.
 
Great update,.

Some foreboding that not everything goes right for Brittannia. I suppose I should have got that from the new title!I

Looking forward to more.

Edit: posted this after reading Memory Lane and before I realised there were other updates!! d'oh
 
Magnus the Red, the Emperor... for a second I thought I was in another kind of TL, waiting for some horned monsters to appear demanding blood for their god...
 
1581-1583 Religion
With Heaven in the Balance: Britannia 1581-1626, W O’Reilly (2003)

Though (relatively) politically stable in the 1580s, religiously Britannia was becoming increasingly split and balkanised. Over 50 years of religious policy had marginalised but not eradicated a sizable Catholic minority. Primarily surviving in northern England, mid-Wales and the Irish midlands, these Catholics had survived by their regular attendance at reformed Anglican/Britannic Churches whilst privately continuing to observe Catholic practices. John Knox’s notion of ‘private faith’ allowed many wealthy Catholics to maintain their own chapels and priests in secret whilst those poorer adherents either benefitted from wealthy patrons or relied on travelling priests to administer the mass sporadically.

Politically and Socially Catholics had been marginalised, as Lord Shevington’s swift demise demonstrates. Catholics were not overtly persecuted in the 1580s, but nor could they expect advancement, a fair trial, or secure property. The consequence of this was that Catholic communities in the aforementioned areas became increasingly insular and protective, defying any attempts to break them. The Imperial government of course restricted movements of Priests, seeing them as foreign agents, and kept tabs on prominent Catholics through Walsingham’s ‘Imperial Records’ network, but beyond that the Catholics were seen by moderate Protestants as an important counterbalance to the more extreme Puritan urges.

These Protestants were in the slim majority across each region of the Empire. Followers of the Church of Britannia, these people would attend Church regularly, own a Bible and a Book of Common Prayer in the vernacular, and largely desire the status quo. Moderate Protestantism was the de jure religion across the Empire by the 1580s, albeit undermined in the Catholic areas by private faith and under constant badgering for reform in the Puritan regions.

In 1581 it was Archbishop of Canterbury Edmund Grindal’s job to try to hold the line against encroachment from either side. Grindal’s two predecessors - Parker and Cramner - had been titans of Church reform whereas Grindal believed in bringing the whole of the Empire along with reform, and consequently slowing down the rate of change. His tenure as Archbishop can be characterised by compromise and a delicate balancing act between the conservative/Catholic faction led by the Bishop of Durham on the one hand and the Puritanical Reformers on the other led by Bishop of Norwich Robert Brown and Bishop of Ely Lancelot Andrew. Grindal had appointed these men to their positions in order to include them and better manage them, but by 1581 his growing senility allowed them greater freedom. The moderate Protestant faction instead turned to the Archbishop of York, Richard Bancroft, for leadership.

Bancroft was the typical moderate Protestant of the late 16th century: committed to the status quo, the role of Bishops, the Book of Common Prayer, and a service of the liturgy over a preaching ministry. Whilst Bancroft was a more conciliatory voice, he would often turn to Bishop of Rochester John Whtigift when a sterner line was needed. Whitgift was vociferous in his attacks upon Puritans, likening their desire to separate the Emperor entirely from the Church, and even abolish Bishops, as little more than treason. His 1581 Rochester Address, to coincide with the Emperor’s coronation, was released in pamphlet form across London and the South East, and the Bishop likened Emperor Edward to King Solomon as God’s chosen King and the Bishops themselves as the House of Levi, God’s chosen Priests. Whilst the Emperor’s reaction to such a comparison has been lost to History, Whitgift’s words would begin to incorporate - informally for the time being - control over the Church with the Imperial Prerogative which the Emperor enjoyed.

The final religious faction in the Empire were the Puritans. Thriving upon the large number of the educated, Puritan tendencies were strong in the south of England but especially London and East Anglia. Given the proximity to the continent and Calvinist ideas, these Puritans sought even greater reform, although the majority of them still wanted to remain inside the established Church. Beyond the south of England, there were small pockets of Puritans in Dublin, Calais, Lille and Amiens, given the latter’s proximity to continental Calvinism. In the New World two pockets of Calvinism emerged in Julianston [Boston, Mass] and Hartsport [Veracruz] given the Universities there. Julianston in particular would receive a number of Puritan refugees between 1581 and 1611.

Though growing in strength and voice, the Puritans in 1581 were compromised by two things; internal division and external rhetoric. We have already examined Whitgift’s attack on them as treasonous, but he was not alone. Puritan teachings were often seen as excessive by many across the Empire, particularly on secondary matters such as clothing, the sabbath and alcohol. These attitudes, along with lingering Catholicism and lower literacy levels, prevented their ideas spreading into rural areas. Secondly the Puritans were divided amongst themselves. Men like Lancelot Andrew believed that the best chance for success was to continue to exert pressure upon the Archbishop of Canterbury, and then lobby the sympathetic Emperor to select a more Puritan Archbishop when the ageing Grindal eventually died. In short these ‘Britannic/Anglican Puritans’ wanted to change the Church from within. By 1581, however, there was a growing voice for separation from the Church entirely, with these people becoming known as Presbyterians.

Following the lead in Scotland of Andrew Melville and others who in 1582 convinced James VI to suspend the use of Bishops and allow for the creation of Presbyters, the English Presbyterians increasingly agitated for similar measures to be allowed. In the Winter of 1582 Bishop of Norwich Robert Brown allegedly got into a shouting match with Whitgift in the Halls of Lambeth Palace over the latter’s Rochester Address. What happened next has been hyped up by generations of amateur historians. The 1967 film ‘A Kingdom of mine own’, produced in Scotland, has Brown punching Whitgift to the ground and storming off to petition the King. Alas such a thing likely did not happen, no matter how enduring the image of two Bishops engaged in fisticuffs is, but we do know that Brown’s petition for Presbyters was rejected by the Emperor. Partly this was because Richard Bancroft and 30 other moderate Bishops threatened to resign if Presbyters were created in England.

In response, Brown resigned as Bishop of Norwich and announced that over a dozen Churches in Norfolk and Suffolk would be leaving the Anglican Church and establishing their own Presbyterian ministry. Rather than be censured, persecuted and arrested as may have happened in another time, and Whitgift certainly howled for, Brown and his congregations were still kept onside by the new Bishop of Norwich Edwin Sandys who hoped to bring the Brownists back into the fold.

The lack of institutional attacks on the Brownists has puzzled many. They clearly distanced themselves from the established Church, but they were so remote as to be containable and the work of Bishops Sandys, Andrew and Bancroft prevented any further measures being taken immediately. Of course Brown was helped by a much more serious threat which had arisen in the summer of 1582.

The Society of Jesus had been founded in Rome in 1537 as a direct response to the Treaty of Liege and the victory of Protestant Europe over the Catholic realms. Aimed as a teaching and proselytising force, Jesuits were dispatched across Europe to return the faithful to the right path. A number of Jesuits had tried to enter England before and had been captured, but in 1582 Walsingham’s agents detected a larger number of Jesuits landing in west Wales and fanning across England and Wales to support and hopefully grow Catholic communities there. These Jesuits fulfilled a vital role for Catholic communities in providing Mass and other services as they walked along the lanes and tracks of rural England.

Their presence, however, sent Walsingham into a frenzy. Realistically there was no threat from foreign intervention through these Jesuits, the Catholic realms were still recovering from the latest war, but Walsingham knew from Germany and the Netherlands that these men could unite the disparate Catholic communities. Therefore between 1582 and 1583 over 1200 men were arrested upon suspicion of being Jesuits. Most were released having recanted their beliefs (if they even had Jesuit leanings to begin with) but a few held on. One of these was Edmund Campion. Taken before the Emperor and Archbishop Grindal, Campion not only refused to recant but launched on an impassioned speech calling Edward to return to the light of Rome and cast off his Puritanical heresy. This did not end well and in March 1583, Campion was burnt at the stake for heresy.

The Jesuit mission was met with such hostility that it forced any Catholic organisation already in England, primarily that of the Percies, even deeper underground, and persuaded the Papacy not to try anything as flagrant again. One final piece remained, Campion’s leader Robert Persons, had gone to ground and was not discovered for over a decade in a place that was entirely unexpected.

The religious topography of the Empire in the first years of Edward I’s reign as Emperor was undulating at best. Grindal was able to maintain the balance as long as his health held up, but it was clear that tension was mounting from both sides. Brown’s separatists had been tolerated to begin with in the name of unity, but they would not be abided forever.
 
1581-1583 Netherlands and Norland
Trying a few new ideas, let me know what you think!

Wikipedia entry: VOC, December 2019
The Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, VOC) was a megacorporation trading company, formed on the 27th March 1582 by the Grachtengordel Pact. The VOC was a conglomeration of rival trading companies encouraged by King William I and supported by investment from the Amsterdam Bourse, a type of Stock Exchange based on the Britannic Royal Exchange model which was established in 1578.

The VOC was a primary plank of Chancellor Johan Oldenbarnevelde’s Goud en Kracht (Gold and Strength) strategy to build up the finances and military forces of the United Netherlands. After the Low Countries War had shown the Netherlands to be understrength compared to their population and prosperity, Oldenbarnevelde had sought to increase Dutch prosperity and invest these finances into a stronger military.

In its early years the VOC primarily relied on existing Dutch Possessions in Batavia and Java but these would quickly expand into southern Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Thailand and the central Colombias. The VOC was a trading organisation utilising the latest designs of vileboot (flyboat) and bijboot (beeboat), analogous to the Britannic light caravel and galleons to quickly transport luxury goods. Consequently the earliest investments went largely into the monstrous shipyards of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, furnished with timber by undercutting the ailing Hansa in the Baltic Sea.

The formation of the VOC is often cited as the origins of the Dutch Golden Age. It would lead to conflict with Portugal, the Britannic Empire, and a number of Asian polities over concessions and trade-rights. The Dutch-Portuguese War (1598-1626) is widely considered to be the first mercantile war in History.

Youtube Transcript from ‘Party Etile’ video ‘Britannia Universalis III: Sunset Kingdoms first look DLC’, January 19th 2021

Description: Announced by Paradox Interactive last October, the Sunset Kingdoms DLC for the multi-award winning Britannia Universalis III is released on the 29th of January 2021. I was lucky enough to be granted early access, so let’s have a look at some of the new mechanics and factions for the 1581 start date.

Transcript: Hi everyone, this is Party Etile with a first look at the new Sunset Kingdoms DLC for Britannia Universalis III. I’ll be looking at four of the new factions and some of the new mechanics for the 1581 start date. Of course we already have the Colombia DLC for the 1492 start date, but this one is designed to compliment the Cross and Sword DLC release last fall which gave us a whole tonne of new content for Europe in 1581. So let's see what Paradox has in store for the New World.

Ok so first up are the Britannic Colonies. Of course in vanilla BU III you have control over Lothian, Avon, Goughton, Bradbury and Hampton but they have taken the autonomy mechanic from Cross and Sword which we saw create lots of interesting scenarios with Germania, and Brittany in particular, and translated it to the New World. So for Sunset Kingdoms you can play as Walter Raleigh or Henry Tudor, the crap one that is. Now with autonomy, you can declare independence from Britannia and try to make it as either Hampton or Goughton.

Although it's possible, and you get the FREEDOM achievement for forming either the Kingdoms of Goughton or Hampton, defending them is easier said than done. In the few playthroughs I got, Hampton just kept getting swarmed and destroyed, unless Britannia is having their ass handed to them in Europe when you declare independence. Goughton though is possible, Walter Raleigh is one of the strongest faction leaders in the 1581 update, he has the wily and tactician traits, and Goughton has the highest income of any Norland Colony. Combined with the resources you get, you can make a real go of it. Of course this is wildly inaccurate, and about 100 years too early for this to be happening, but heck you can rewrite History thats the fun part right?

For these campaigns though the early story missions are the real highlight. As Tudor or Raleigh you get a series of choices and missions designed to undermine the other and claim the Viceroyalty, like the real life Game of Shadows. It's amazing what Paradox have achieved; although Raleigh has the better stats, as Tudor you have a lot of sabotage options with Thomas Sweeney, he’s one of the legendary agents you get access to, this guy can take out the docks in Goughton with a 75% chance of success, such a huge asset. Then there’s the whole diplomacy angle; the two sides are separated by the Huguenots, and Tudor has an advantage through marriage here. If you play it right you could form a Union and take the Huguenots with you. A lot of fun!

Now the other 2 factions they give you to play with Sunset Kingdoms are completely different, and I am so glad they finally got around to them.

The first is the NCR; New Canaan Republic. Its one of the few Republics in the whole game; so you get the whole democracy decision tree, and the election mechanics. Its also one of the unique cultures in the game; Canaanite. This is a whole mix of Slavic and British culture traits but with some unique Jewish ones thrown in, you really get the mix of culture Canaan had at this time. Then its totally helicopter rides as far as religion goes; you start in 1581 with a mix of low level Jewish and Lutheran traits, but you can pursue all sorts of avenues; you can become a Jewish Orthodox faith or create your own mash-up religion.

At game start your leader is Chief Councillor Levi Slusky, he is not a fighter, but you get the cunning and trader traits. Thats your real strength as NCR, they are financially very well off. Your options though are limited; unless you want to declare war on Britannia, DO NOT DO THIS I GOT STEAMROLLED, then you’re going to have to go west and deal with the Susquehannock, Lenape and Iroquois. With a bit of prep the first two should be ok, but the Iroquois are tough if you let them build up strength. Deal with the first two quickly, then hit the Iroquois.

The NCR has some of the best achievements in this new DLC; my top pick is the Norland Commonwealth achievement. This is definitely a challenge, you essentially have to control all the land I mentioned, and all the Britannic colonies in Norland. As I said though fighting Britannia is really hard, chatting to the developers they had one playthrough in Beta where they pulled it off, but you need to wait for the war to start in Europe, and the Civil War, and hope Britannia are totally tied up. It also helps if Raleigh gets bumped off early because he’s a beast later on!

So the NCR is one of the most versatile and interesting campaigns I have ever seen; are you going to form a new Jewish Holy land in the New World, found your own religion and unite Norland under the banner of Pastafarianism, or like me are you going to declare war on Britannia in turn 10 and be smeared across the Empire’s windshield?

Like the NCR, the last new campaign in this DLC is completely unique and has some incredible missions, achievements, mechanics and choices you can make. Yeah ok so theyre called Gaelland, but hey I think the Swedish developers struggled with their Gaeliege, y’know? So if NCR were the Swiss Army Knife of Campaign starts then Gaelland are the latest handheld from HE, they can do just about anything. THOUGH NOT ATTACK BRITANNIA, GOSH DONT DO THAT.

So at 1581 start your leader is Aaaa-odd-ah? Ooooodah? Ah, HUGH O’Neill, yeah sorry to all my Gael viewers, his Gaelic name is A-O-D-H for those of you wondering what I was doing there. Ahem. So yes. HUGH. So he is a great character, look at this, he has a strength of 36 and martial skill of 22, those are huge stats. Add to that you have the sneaky trait, you don’t see that in leaders too often, and this guy starts with it! Now the problem though is finances. Gosh I mean look at that, your income in 1581 is +5 gold. +5! +5! That is pennies man, you can’t do anything with that. Look it, if you call your banners up on turn five, you can afford to pay for them for 2 turns before they desert.

Ok so Gaelland is militarily weak, but this is where Hugh comes in. Now Paradox took the viking mechanic from Norse Gods, renamed it to Reaving and slapped it on Gaelland. This means Hugh can lead raids on the Britannic colonies without declaring war, and given his sneaky trait you usually get a 5% or lower chance of getting caught. Thats how you do it. Another cool thing is that each successful raid in Bradbury has a high chance of adding to your population. That’s a great idea Paradox! Of course in History this is actually what Hugh did - freed the slaves, Irish or African, and added them to his forces.

Now this Reaving mechanic may seem to push you down that one path, but then you get Diplomacy. Obviously Britannia hate you, and the feelings mutual, but the NCR are actually ok with you at the start, complete a couple of story mission and you get a VERY nice trade deal usually. Then there’s the Dutch and Bretons, you can win them over again with a few missions and an influence check, but if Hugh’s led a couple of successful raids then there’s no bother with that.

And then just when the Gaelland campaign seems like its flagging. BAM, there she is. Oh Gosh, another Gaelic name, I’m so sorry. Gray-Knee-O-Ma-Halley? Oh gosh, Grace, Grace is the English version of that name. Anyway the pirate queen! I mean we’ve been asking for playable pirates. They gave us playable pirates. Now Grace isn’t strong of course, don’t be launching her into any doom-stack fleets, but through raiding and piracy she can really start racking up a lot of loot. Use her to secure 6 or more islands in the Colombia Sea and you get the Pirates of Colombia achievement!

And these are all story missions too. I havn’t even talked about the culture and religion, and I can’t as I’m running out of time! Erm so quickly, mix of Gaellic and Colombian-Creek culture and a unique religion: syncretic Catholicism. This gives you all the Catholic bonuses but doesnt suffer penalties for changing 4 of your religion traits into native Colombian religions. Really versatile and you can have a lot of fun with it.

So that’s it, that’s Sunset Kingdoms! Its out on 29th of January, and, whisper it quietly, but best BU DLC ever? Let me know what you think in the comments. Once again Gaels I’m really sorry for butchering the Gaellish names, please don’t rage at me in the comments. Thanks again to Paradox for interactive for letting me get hands on, and as ever please like, share and subscribe. This is party etile, and see you on the next one.
 
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