Thank you for your praise, I am truly humbled... Yes I think Catalina will be happy in Spain, remarriage isn't out of the question but it won't happen for a while due to certain pressing matters that will come up with her patrimony. I think Isabella will indeed be comforted by her youngest daughter being with her in her final years, and perhaps she'll find a little peace knowing that her daughter is safe and back home.
There and Back Again: The English Journeys of Catherine of Aragon
- Thread starter Awkwardvulture
- Start date
Thank you for your praise, I am truly humbled... Yes I think Catalina will be happy in Spain, remarriage isn't out of the question but it won't happen for a while due to certain pressing matters that will come up with her patrimony. I think Isabella will indeed be comforted by her youngest daughter being with her in her final years, and perhaps she'll find a little peace knowing that her daughter is safe and back home.
Thank you for your kind words, I appreciate it. Catalina, while very pious, is too valuable to join a convent, though she may sponsor one in the future. As for remarriage, she may but I won't say to whom(spoilers) but I will give a small hint: The man she may eventually remarry to is married at the moment in the story, take that as you may....
My beautiful, clever, wondrous girl. Back in Spain and back with a purpose. You'll reach the stars themselves, just you see.
Catalina certainly will and she'll prove to be an asset to Spain during the troubling time following her mother's death...
Can Catherine bring her sister Juana to the throne as ruling queen after Philip dies (if he dies as otl)?
I'm not sure if she'd be willing to anger her father to do so, and may see Ferdinand of Austria as a better option, while her more capable hands will steward Castile until Ferdinand Jr is of age. What we might see however, is in improvement in Juana's living conditions here...
Well maybe if Ferdinand dies earlier can Juana return to power? And persuade the cortes to recognise Ferdinand Jr as Prince of Asturias? And then marry him asp to Isabella of Portugal.
That seems like a good idea, but Aragon, which has salic law may be an issue, as Juana would have difficulties ruling there, (if they didn't want Isabella of Aragon as Queen Regnant they certainly won't want a supposedly unstable widow as their monarch.) Ferdinand probably needs to live as long as OTL to convince both Maximillian and the Castillian Cortes to accept Ferdinand of Austria as his heir(the latter of which will happen through Catalina)
If Catherine plays her cards right then perhaps the Revolt of the Communeros will be avoided as well. And Catherine will be the first lady in Court until Charles's/Ferdinand's wife arrives.
Yes I think she definitely could, as Ferdinand Jr will grow up under her tutelage, as well as that of his grandfather, both of them will instill in him a much better understanding of how to rule Spain, then Charles V ever had...
So the plot could be to persuade the cortes to recognise Ferdinand as heir to Aragon and his mother to a supportive role then?
Yes, I think that would work, Juana will be in a nominally supportive role, though Catherine will be the true power in Castile immediately after Phillip dies, and then in Aragon after her father dies.
Would work. Ferdinand would have a poverful regent in his aunt and since its would only be a few years before Ferdinand comes of age and takes the reins himself, I can see Catherine and Alonso de Aragon, Archbishop of Zaragoza sharing the regency so to not upset the courts in Aragon.
That would certainly work in Aragon, especially with Alonso being the son of it's late monarch...
And then marry Ferdinand to Isabella as soon as possible. That alliance will secure Ferdinand a alliance, a very rich dowry and cabable wife. Charles can marry Anne of Hungary and Bohemia instead.
That does seem like a good idea, and then by the time Ferdinand is 15 Catalina's time as regent will be over and she'll be free to remarry.
She would probably stay in the court for a few years more. Even if he's of age to take the throne he'll be needing a lot of help for a while more. I picture Catherine leaving when he's 18-20 and married to Isabella. Things would be more stable then.
Perhaps, though she may delegate that task to her bastard half-brother once Ferdinand is 15, Castile will certainly be stable as it would have been under her rule as regent for about a decade... Also her biological clock will be ticking so to speak, and by 1518 her suitor will come calling...