Yes, she will and after nearly twenty years of widowhood, it will be an interesting change for her as well. Thank you so very much!
There and Back Again: The English Journeys of Catherine of Aragon
- Thread starter Awkwardvulture
- Start date
Manuel, you've already got six sons, how many do you need before you stop marrying?
Probably twice as many I imagine
. Still, Manuel likely wanted a woman who could serve as a good stepmother to his children, six of whom are younger than the age of fourteen, and who better for that than their aunt, the former regent of Spain. Catalina herself hasn't given up entirely on the idea of being a wife or mother either, now that she's done her part as a stateswoman... Thank you!
Oh, she is sure, and given her personality, once Catalina has an idea of how to best serve her Kingdom, she is quick to seize it. It also does not hurt that, secretly, she still yearns to be married to a man that she can love. Thank you very much!
At least Manuel was a pretty decent husband to his OTL wives. She could do worse-could be married to Maximilian I, aka the guy who didn't even give his third wife a gravestone when she died. Also, would Catalina have any children with Manuel? IOTL her last child was in 1518, but there's enough butterflies for that to change.Probably twice as many I imagine
It's a win-win for them both. Manuel gets a experiment and capable wife, who can run a court, raise infantes and infantas, comes with a comfortable dowry and is a friend. Catherine gets a royal husband who will treasure her, give her a great standing and if they have children, will make good matches for them. It's a marriage of convenience and comfort.
She was never Queen of anything until now. Arthur died while his father was still alive and she was only Regent in Castile and Aragon
Manuel was certainly a good husband to her sisters, and he seems to have respected and loved them both, so there's reason to believe that this marriage will also go well. Perhaps she will have children with Manuel, given that she hasn't been pregnant 6 times and gone through nearly as much hardship as she did IOTL. Thank you very much for your input!
Well, we'll see about that, though they are grateful for your well wishes...
That's a very accurate summary of some of the perks of the marriage, and they will play an important role in it as well.
True, she wasn't quite a Queen before her marriage in Portugal, but she did play a prominent role as regent. As for when she returns to England, it won't be for quite awhile...
Chapter 95, June 1518
Ribeira Palace, Kingdom of Portugal, June 1518
The carriage, despite all the comforts that were available, was stuffy and hot. Catalina sighed internally and fanned herself.
Maria de Salinas eyed her friend with great concern,”Is it too hot for you Catalina?”
Catalina’s response was simple,“No it is fine.”
Maria shook her head, swung the door open, and called out,”Stop the carriage, the Infanta needs rest.”
The woman herself chuckled to herself before motioning for Maria to sit down. As the carriage began to come to a stop, she said,”I am quite alright, keep going.”
Maria rolled her eyes when Catalina sat back down,”Must you be so stubborn?”
“Since when have you known me to be anything else, my friend? Besides, if your children are alright in their father’s carriage then I needn’t stop.”
…
Eventually, after what felt like hours, they approached the Ribeira Palace, where the Portuguese King and his family resided, a family which Catalina herself would soon become a part of. The two were jostled as the carriage swung onto the cobblestone. With the vehicle coming to a stop, Maria de Salinas opened the door, and Catalina crossed herself, nervous for the first time in years. She slowly set her foot out, stepping outside into the open, the stomps and snorts of the horses filling her ears. To her surprise, she saw that the Portuguese royal family was already there to greet her. Manuel and his many children stood outside of the entrance to the palace. The woman that would be their Queen curtseyed before them, lowering her eyes,”Your majesty, I come from España to serve you in whatever way you see fit.”
Her would-be husband cast his hawk-like gaze on her, and, to her relief, seemed to approve, replying with a simple nod, and motioned for her to rise,”I see that your Kingdom has given me three fine women to be my Queen… I only hope that God does not take you away from me as he did your sisters.”
Catalina was practically speechless, he had just all but said that he loved her, and hoped that they would be married for years, and her heart fluttered as she had never expected it to.
…
The Queen of Portugal was in her private apartments, her attendants were gone yet she was not alone. Dressed in only her nightclothes, she slowly stepped forward and their lips met in a deep kiss. Catalina wrapped her arms across Manuel’s back as they kissed again and she gasped,”Oh Manuel my love, I will be yours until my last breath.”
He stroked her fiery locks and replied with equal passion,“And I belong to you, and only you Catalina. I may be King, but you rule my very heart.”
