Una diferente ‘Plus Ultra’ - the Avís-Trastámara Kings of All Spain and the Indies (Updated 11/7)

8. El Mundo en General - Parte I: A Burgundian Duke and an English Prince survive, a Şehzade dies
~ El Mundo en General ~
Parte I: A Burgundian Duke and an English Prince survive, a Şehzade dies, 1500-1520


- Der Lombardische Krieg -

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Der Kaiser Maximilian mit seinen Offizieren

Maximilian I had not decelerated in the slightest since the end of the Swabian War. As an extension of the “Perpetual Peace” (Ewiger Landfriede) that the Diet of Worms intended to establish, Maximilian I personally participated in martial disputes between princes of the Empire - acting first as arbitrator, and, once a verdict had been reached, as the strong arm of the law. Likewise, Maximilian I declared, (first in 1505 then in 1507 both as a corollary to the Ewiger Landfriede) that any citizen of the Empire found within the ranks of a foreign power (read: France) with which the Emperor has hostile relations would be summarily executed. Consequently, the French-employed Swiss mercenaries, on which the French relied so heavily in Northern Italy, became far and in-between, while the number of Swiss mercenaries serving the Hapsburgs grew - all thanks to the thrifty Hapsburg bankroller Jakob Fugger and his impeccable credit. As France was still allied with Venice, there was also no difficulty in coaxing the Pope, concerned about Venice’s influence in Italy, over to the Hapsburg side. By the time Maximilian I declared war on France on May 19th of 1506, he was prepared. Louis XII, on the other hand, was similarly waiting for the Hapsburgs to make the first move. Despite the catastrophe that was the Second Italian War, its outcome had failed to create a deficit in the Royal Treasury thanks to Louis XII’s otherwise frugality and a brace of financial reforms he passed - regulating and gleaning the royal administration with a preference shown to non-noble appointees following the Spanish model. Louis XII also succeeded in keeping his nobility happy through a number of tax cuts and the distribution of hundreds of titles. It is understandable, then, how Louis XII was able to maintain a standing army of 32,000 in the duchy of Milan for nearly 7 years. The board was set for a long and bitter conflict.

For the next six years, Imperial forces squared off against French and Venetian forces in bloody, but minimally decisive engagements throughout Northern Italy. Meanwhile, the French made small incursions into Hapsburg Burgundy and the Netherlands, both governed by Maximilian’s son Philip IV, but there were no major gains made on either side. Eventually Maximilian forced France’s northern army to turn south when he arrived at Basel with 20,000 troops. Personally present at the battle, Maximilian chose his field near the Alsatian town of Rantzwiller, where the French army, under Charles II d’Amboise, was forced to retreat after sustaining heavy casualties, effectively ending the northern theater of the war for the time being. With thousands of Swiss mercenaries in the duchy of Milan switching loyalties practically overnight, the French situation became increasingly difficult to manage, and Milan fell to the Empire on the 11th of July in 1511. This phase of the war would be ended by two battles in 1512: those of Oleggio and Moncalvo.

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At the battle of Oleggio, a joint Imperial force led by the Swissman Jakob Hanspeter and the pretender to the Milanese throne, Maximilian Sforza, shattered the French army of Northern Italy in its entirety, killing and capturing thousands, dispersing what Swiss mercenaries remained in the French ranks, and ousting the condottiero Gian Giacomo Trivulzio (who had been administrator of the duchy of Milan for the past 12 years). The Imperial army, given its fractious composition, failed to follow up this victory soon enough, and when it finally confronted the French again at Moncalvo three weeks later, the French, this time under the command Henri de La Trémoille and Gaston de Foix, routed the Imperials. The disparity in outcomes between the two battles and their proximity to the Milanese Savoyard border meant that the frontline would remain there for the next 20 years.

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Another lucky development also brought Florence and its dependencies into the Imperial fold as well: the entrance of the condottiero Cesare Borgia. Cesare had primarily spent the years 1504 to 1510 consolidating the newly formed duchy of Romagna granted him by his father, Pope Alexander VI. However, always the opportunist, Cesare witnessed the expulsion of the French from Milan and decided that this sometimes ally was no longer a prudent investment. Likewise, the city of Florence had, since 1498, been free of Medici rule, and was therefore a lucrative target. In 1511, Cesare then invaded the city with his retinue, ignominiously deposed the standing gonfaloniere, Piero Soderini, and strong-armed the Signoria into electing him to Soderini’s position. In 1514, just as the Medici - who had been in exile in Rome - had been invited for a hearing with the Emperor concerning the re-establishment of their rule in Florence, a French army, some 30,000 strong and headed by Louis XII himself and his marshal, Charles II d’Amboise, crossed into the duchy of Savoy and was headed for Tuscany. Having re-occupied Emilia, the French army besieged Florence in early 1515, hoping to capture Cesare, whom they had deemed a traitor, and replace him with the capable Medicis - thereby gaining an ally in Central Italy and intimidating the papacy back into an alliance. However, this 7 month siege would be marked by a heroic defense on the part of Cesare, who earned the admiration and respect of the Florentines in the process. When a plague hit the French army in November, and with Maximilian I willing to discuss peace terms, Louis XII was forced to break the siege and withdraw to Savoy. Besançon was also put to siege at around the same time as Florence (with the intention of breaking up the Imperial army), but similarly achieved no results. Having proven his loyalty to the Empire, Maximilian opted not to favor the Medicis (who had been in correspondence with the French), and installed Cesare Borgia as the Duke of Florence. The Third Italian War, known afterwards as the Lombard War, was concluded on 7th of May, 1516, with the Treaty of Pavia: Louis XII would vacate the duchy of Milan of all his troops and officers, all else would return to status quo antebellum.

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- Tu felix Austria, nube -

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Wappen der Habsburger Familie

The Hapsburgs would be remembered by posterity for having perfected the art of expanding their domain through serial matrimony. The diplomatic marriages they organized in the early 16th century alone would put Hapsburgs on the thrones of Hungary, Bohemia, and Milan. These policies were much needed, however, as the Holy Roman Empire - especially under the Hapsburgs - was constantly threatened from both east and west. The Imperial Eagle would have to unfurl its wings, if you will, in both directions in order to put greater pressure on the Turks and the French. Accordingly, the thrones of Bohemia and Hungary were prime marital objectives for the Hapsburgs, while improved relations with the English Tudors would also be of great importance. Consequently, Philip IV’s son Charles (born February of 1500) would be wed to Anne, the only child of Vladislaus, king of Bohemia and Hungary, while Ferdinand (born March of 1502) would be wed to Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VII, king of England. After Maximilian II, Philip IV's third son, was born in 1508, he too would be joined in a political marriage, this time to Bianca Sforza, daughter of Ludovico Sforza.

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Karl und Anna, c. 1520

With the Barbary states beaten into submission for the time being, Miguel of Spain immediately turned his attention to the north. While the Italian War of 1506-1518 was indeed long and bloody as his grandfather Fernando had predicted, it did not bruise France to an extent that would have put Miguel at ease. Consequently, always taking an aggressive approach to defensive strategies, Miguel set about mending relations with Spain’s natural ally: the Hapsburgs. Maria von Hapsburg, the third daughter of Philip of Burgundy and Juana de Trastámara, had been born in 1505 and was more or less pledged to marry the male heir of Vladislaus of Bohemia and Hungary, if such an heir were to be born. When the Hungarian prince failed to materialize and Vladislaus died in 1518, Maria re-entered the market. Miguel very quickly arranged for Maria’s betrothal to his brother Fernando de Portugal (which would be consummated in 1521), in exchange for support for Charles V’s claim in Hungary and Bohemia and as part of a military alliance against the Ottomans. Miguel would also arrange for his son Juan Pelayo to be betrothed to Charles V’s daughter Isabella after the latter was born in 1520.

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María y Fernando

Hungary and Bohemia would prove to be difficult. When Vladislaus died in 1518, he had failed to sire a son, and, consequently, his two kingdoms were poised to fall to Charles, his son in law. Either out of legitimate patriotism or a desire to elect a more easily controllable king, a number of Hungarian and Bohemian nobles met at Olomouc in October of 1518 to oppose a Hapsburg accession. While the Estates had already elected Charles king of Bohemia and Hungary, the clout of the League of Olomouc was not to be trifled with. Vladislaus’ concessions to the nobility gave them the means to fund a powerful defense against the Ottoman incursions, but left them inordinately powerful at court, while also suffocating the middle class and keeping the peasantry destitute. Nonetheless - with Fugger-loaned bribes to a number of dissident nobles, promises made to legislate economic relief for the lower classes, and a quick, well-planned military campaign ending in a defeat for the League at Nitra on April 8th of 1519 - Charles emerged victorious with the help of his grandfather, allowing him to confiscate large tracts of the nobility’s land and show his new subjects, supporters and detractors alike, that, despite his age and appearance, Charles was no weakling, and certainly was not sheepish when it came to wielding the full weight of the scepter.

However, despite the phrase, "Let others wage war: thou, happy Austria, marry," there was much warring to be done by the Hapsburgs on all sides - indeed, “happy Austria” would be the abode of war for quite some time.


- Entretonto: Los turcos muertos y el rey Arturo -

Meanwhile, in the abode of the Turk, Selim I had found the situation of his empire much less secure than it appeared. The Safavid dynasty had declared themselves the Shahs of Persia, and had effected a renewal of that ancient state. The Safavids, as Twelver Shias, had even more reason to safeguard themselves and act aggressively against the Sunni Turks, sponsoring a rebellion of the Shia Qizilbash in Anatolia. After securing a casus belli from his Sunni jurists, Selim began organizing an army to be sent east. However, attempts to send subsidies of troops and funds to the collapsing Barbary states slowed the mobilization process, and, once the expedition was finally prepared, its morale and organization was nearly broken by the forced march over the Taurus mountains. When the Ottoman army met that of the Safavid shah, Ismail I, at Chaldiran on a blistering September day in 1514, the Turks’ disorganization could not be remedied and what should have been a rout of the Persians and the Qizilbash turned into a pyrrhic victory for the Ottomans, who suffered 23,000 dead out of their 60,000 - included in which was the eldest son of Selim I, Suleiman, who had been brought along to cut his teeth on the battlefield, only to end up cut down himself. The Safavids fled the field, but only with 12,000 dead or wounded out of their 40,000. Their regrouping would be much easier.

The Prince of Wales, Arthur, had succeeded his father Henry VII after the latter had died in 1512. Married to the Trastámara princess, Catalina, and having Ferdinand von Hapsburg as his brother-in-law, Arthur would continue his father’s anti-French policy. Yet problems were brewing, and difficulties of religion and succession were on the horizon for the isle of Albion.
 
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Wow what an update! Not only do we have a more successful Hapsburgs, but we also have a much shorter Italian Wars ending in 1542 instead of 1559, a more successful Cesare Borgia gaining Tuscany, a surviving Arthur Tudor and no Suleiman the Magnificent. This is looking really interesting and will have a lot of major effects on Europe and the rest of the World.
 
Arthur and Miguel as kings? Sounds familiar. :p

No Suleiman the Magnificent is gonna cause Mothra-sized butterflies in both Europe and Asia, wow.
 
*throws confetti* Arthur lives! Arthur lives!

But I don't think Henry VII should have survived until 1512, he was ailing already in 1505, so you can kill him of then. Now how is my homegirl Catherine doing?
 
So Suleiman dies...now who will succeed Selim? Orhan, Musa or Korkut?

Probably will happen a succession War within all the possible heirs (which were still alive at the death of the Selim's heir) or with some kind or right to reclaim the throne.

As would be Prince Murad (Selim's brother that was supported by the Shah Ismail I) and Üveys (knew for the Pasha title given,IOTL, him for his half brother Suleiman) which in normal circumstance will not have right for not being Porphyrogennetos but TTL...

Unless Selim will be achieved beget a male heir before his death and in turn, and even less likely to be able to muster enough support for the eventual regency to triumph in more than likely succession war.
 
To be honest I think the entire north african campain is a thing that will drain Iberia's resourses, let france take more land in Italy, get the ottomans pissed off and weaken the grip around the colonies. It would be better for Miguel to focus his revenues and attention to his empire and not carry out some ludicrus knight templar conquest that will only end up blowing up in his face sooner or later.

The north africans are gonna push back the iberians. Its a different ball game with the new world than the berbers tribe.

North Africa wouldn't be directly profitable for the Spanish kingdoms for a long time, (presuming they continued to hold it and consolidate their holdings) but one shouldn't understate the indirect value in controlling piracy, and the strategic value in eliminating potential Ottoman allies in the Western Mediterranean. Further, with Carthage, Sicily, Malta, etc all under Spanish control, the Ottomans can be effectively barred from any potential intervention in the Western Mediterranean at all; while the Spanish kingdoms are still able to project power in support of Venice in the Eastern Mediterranean.

As was mentioned up-thread, North Africa could also provide a place to offer mercantile concessions to Genoa in particular in order to improve relations, and hopefully expand trade. Spanish influence in Italy could be further expanded by leveraging trade, commercial concessions, and even potential Italian settlement within North Africa as well.

The Berbers will be an issue for anyone in power in Morocco. But the key to containing their energetic behavior has always been to set one tribe against another. What Miguel should be attempting to do this. Even better to attempt to convert a tribe (A considerable expense) setting a possible domino effect example with the other tribes, especially if the Spanish are obviously the winning side. If there is anyway the Spanish can get the Berbers on their side they could possibly be like desert Cossacks.

It was a drain on Iberia's resources, and it is also serving to neglect the far more profitable colonies developing around the world. However, if Spain were to have been united, then mostly backed out of the Italian Wars and saved the trouble of being tethered to the Holy Roman Empire, it is more than likely that Spain would have focused its resources most immediately on something akin to what happened ITTL (regardless of how wasteful it seems to us in retrospect). Cardinal Cisneros, an extremely influential individual in Castile until his death in 1517 IOTL, was very much bent on building a full-fledged African Empire for the Spanish, and Fernando of Aragon was similarly enthused with controlling the North African coast in the last couple decades of his life as well. Just as in OTL, the Spanish Cortes and royal court do not yet realize the full scope of their American colonies nor of their wealth, although ITTL they will begin to much more heavily focus on them sooner (beginning in the late 1530s) instead of the largely laissez-faire approach (with some significant exceptions, e.g. the Leyes Nuevas, the establishment of Viceroyalties, the suspension of conquests by Philip II) taken IOTL for the first century. ITTL, the Spanish are going to be more heavily invested - take for example the fact that the title of this TL mentions how the "Kings of All Spain" are also the kings of "the Indies" - meaning that the colonial ventures are going to be treated with almost equal consideration as Iberia itself, even though it will take the Avis-Trastamaras some time to reach this strategy considering their current penchant for grand crusades and European affairs.

The real profit of the African Crusade is going to be (as Tyg mentioned) the death of Barbary Piracy, which will lead to much healthier Western Mediterranean trade and free flow of goods, troops, and (perhaps most importantly) ideas between Spain and its Italian possessions and allies. The territorial gains in North Africa will also allow Spain to rebuild its relations with the indispensable Genoese by granting them concessions there, which will bring in sizable amounts of capital into these under-developed properties, in turn growing the market, expanding Spain's shipbuilding (or, at least, ship-borrowing) capabilities, and facilitating the Christianization of the region - all the while allowing the Spanish greater leverage to continue to restrict Genoese business in Iberia proper and develop their own, native-born financial class.

As for converting the Berbers, the problem there lies in the Berbers' semi-nomadic lifestyle: Catholicism more or less places a heavier requirement on communal living (for the sake of weekly mass, the cultivation of bread and wine, as well as for the tradition of mutual moral accountability, etc.) than Islam does (which allows for, one might say, a more "Protestant" form of worship, prayer, and personal moral accountability). This difference is very narrow, however, and the Berbers might be convinced to Catholicize if the Spaniards can succeed in associating Islam solely with the city-dwelling Maghrebi Arabs and then emphasize the poor relations between the two groups. Anything is possible!

I wouldn't exclude the Habsburg Empire from having settler colonies too, provided they keep the Habsburg Netherlands intact (best case), though the OTL Spanish and later Austrian Netherlands with Zeelandic Flanders (Zeeuws Vlaanderen in Dutch), which is south of the Western Scheldt in order to keep Antwerp open.
If so, then I can't see, why they won't compete with England and France in such endeavours. These are likely to be separate from the more trade oriented companies. However all these migrants will create a market so to speak, so I can see own initiatives arise as well.
Depending on how the Empire emerges from such struggles, it (so under the flag of the Empire) and not just the Habsburgs could play a role. OTOH since it is likely, that colonial ventures will first develop in Low Countries (Habsburg), they like Portugal and Castille IOTL and ITTL will protect their areas of interest, influence and privileges from others in the union (in case of the Iberian Union, Aragon, which in turn will act in a similar manner in the Mediterranean).

You're right, and there will be Dutch settlement in North America ITTL that will exceed in some cases its IOTL counterpart. Spain's best best in maintaining its part in the East Indies will be to accommodate the Dutch (and also English) in some measure and also to concentrate its holdings rather than plant them scattershot in the vain hope of holding the entirety of the Orient.

Portuguese South Africa? Awww yisss, we Viriato-style now!

I'm a big fan of Viriato's (he's a workhorse with his TLs, who doesn't love that?), and I am interested (like many others) in seeing more Portuguese settler colonies - especially one that develops accidentally! ;)

Hey a Habsburg apologist such as myself can dream :D

Wouldn't it just be Freileben which just translates out as "Live Freely" or better yet Frei Menschen "Free People" be a better way to go since Freilebenere kinda works out as "Free Lancers." Granted my German translation skills are way more literal so I hope I helped a tad ha .

I you're looking for the equivalent of Freemen, then it's 'Freien' (free plural; Frei is German for free :)) or more literally free people could be 'Freie Leute' (Free People).

Without more information, I'd call them "Freilebenden," (Free + Gerund of "to live"), i.e. "Those who live freely." And sorry if is rude to the other posters, but the other German advice posted in this thread doesn't seem very good.

if I had a bit more information about the philosophy of these people I might be able to suggest some alternative names for them, you can send me a PM

PS: great TL!

Thank you all very much, quite helpful! You'll be seeing some of your suggestions in the next update. :)
 
Wow what an update! Not only do we have a more successful Hapsburgs, but we also have a much shorter Italian Wars ending in 1542 instead of 1559, a more successful Cesare Borgia gaining Tuscany, a surviving Arthur Tudor and no Suleiman the Magnificent. This is looking really interesting and will have a lot of major effects on Europe and the rest of the World.

Thank you :) I have a lot more divergences lined up!

Arthur and Miguel as kings? Sounds familiar. :p

No Suleiman the Magnificent is gonna cause Mothra-sized butterflies in both Europe and Asia, wow.

I know, I'm getting a headache just thinking about researching and writing all of them out... But we do what we must to prevent a Mohacs-counterpart, right?

*throws confetti* Arthur lives! Arthur lives!

But I don't think Henry VII should have survived until 1512, he was ailing already in 1505, so you can kill him of then. Now how is my homegirl Catherine doing?

I did not know that (I really need to read up on Early Modern England), how about 1510? Its necessary to keep him alive at least until after the Battle of Rantzwiller in order to help explain the lack of success the French had in the Netherlands (the English fought on the same side as the Hapsburgs in TTL's third Italian War as they did IOTL, fighting the Scots to the north and harassing the French to the south).
As for Catalina, she's healthy, happy, and pregnant with her third child ;)

How's that Vladislaus had no son ITTL?

IOTL Vladislaus was about 50 when he had Lajos II, so its not too bizarre to have him die with only his daughter Anne surviving him. Maybe Miguel da Paz's survival somehow butterflied the necessary sperm count, who can say?

So Suleiman dies...now who will succeed Selim? Orhan, Musa or Korkut?

Probably will happen a succession War within all the possible heirs (which were still alive at the death of the Selim's heir) or with some kind or right to reclaim the throne.

As would be Prince Murad (Selim's brother that was supported by the Shah Ismail I) and Üveys (knew for the Pasha title given,IOTL, him for his half brother Suleiman) which in normal circumstance will not have right for not being Porphyrogennetos but TTL...

Unless Selim will be achieved beget a male heir before his death and in turn, and even less likely to be able to muster enough support for the eventual regency to triumph in more than likely succession war.

Without the charisma and prudence of Suleiman, as well as given the violent precedent set by 'Selim the Grim' (great nickname, really) and his predecessors, there's going to be a succession war, and a violent one at that. As for who comes out on top, I'm not sure - I don't quite know enough about Ottoman politics as I should yet.
 
Forgot to say, the Portuguese can revive the Majapahit Empire as an ally/puppet with ports held by, but that means parts of luzon[1], java, borneo and all of bali and nusa tengarra will convert to catholicism

1. Acehnese and Bornean muslim missionaries will have a share of converts.
 
Forgot to say, the Portuguese can revive the Majapahit Empire as an ally/puppet with ports held by, but that means parts of luzon[1], java, borneo and all of bali and nusa tengarra will convert to catholicism

1. Acehnese and Bornean muslim missionaries will have a share of converts.

There's definitely a lot of facets to consider in such a multi-faceted region as Indonesia - I was thinking the Portuguese might even seek out and support/tolerate Hindus as a reliable ally against the Muslim powers in the region.
 
Also, the Reformation update is up next, so to slake anyone's interest for the time being, here's a little spoiler from TTL's modern day:
This particular French child would grow up to be none other than Jean Cauvin, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Noyon and leading opponent of Protestantism.
Taken from A History of Christendom: Crisis and Reform, 1453-1601 by Francis Peters and Pedro Ramiro Velazquez.
 
Also, the Reformation update is up next, so to slake anyone's interest for the time being, here's a little spoiler from TTL's modern day:

Taken from A History of Christendom: Crisis and Reform, 1453-1601 by Francis Peters and Pedro Ramiro Velazquez.

First that call me attention it beside the author's names obviously the time period but then I realize the surname of TTL French Catholicism 'Champion' and lets me said that Holy S... Bishop Calvin?
 
I'm of School od thougth that only direct-related butterflies are allowed... Don't see how Miguel's survival can influence will Lajos ne born... But you are the author...
 
There's a myriad of butterflies I could see potentially having an effect on whether or not Lajos is ever conceived. If the TL was focused exclusively on the Iberian personal union, I could see your point, but there's already been significant changes in both Italy, southern Germany and the Ottoman Empire, all regions bordering Vladislaus' kingdoms to some extent. Literally just receiving a messenger with news about this or that event could butterfly away Lajos being conceived.

That said, how about just having Lajos die after birth? He was born prematurely OTL, and barely survived.
 
There's a myriad of butterflies I could see potentially having an effect on whether or not Lajos is ever conceived. If the TL was focused exclusively on the Iberian personal union, I could see your point, but there's already been significant changes in both Italy, southern Germany and the Ottoman Empire, all regions bordering Vladislaus' kingdoms to some extent. Literally just receiving a messenger with news about this or that event could butterfly away Lajos being conceived.

That said, how about just having Lajos die after birth? He was born prematurely OTL, and barely survived.

IMHO with same parents, I don't see why he wouldn't be born? Same thing with survival, the method was very original, so he should stay alive.

Also, same thing with Sulejman, wasn't he the governor of Manissa or Feodosia Sanjak in 1514?
 
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First that call me attention it beside the author's names obviously the time period but then I realize the surname of TTL French Catholicism 'Champion' and lets me said that Holy S... Bishop Calvin?

Reminds me of my long-mothballed TL where Luther became a cardinal and Zwingli was the Reformation's leading figure. :p
 
"I did not know that (I really need to read up on Early Modern England), how about 1510? Its necessary to keep him alive at least until after the Battle of Rantzwiller in order to help explain the lack of success the French had in the Netherlands (the English fought on the same side as the Hapsburgs in TTL's third Italian War as they did IOTL, fighting the Scots to the north and harassing the French to the south).
As for Catalina, she's healthy, happy, and pregnant with her third child" Torbald quote


Arthur can handle the Rantzwiller thingy. He will be 19-20 in 1505, so you can kill Henry off safely. Henry is more likely to stay out of the war, he was a greedy paranoid miser who did not engage in warfare after 1490. Arthur/Catherine is more likely to wage war against france/scotland. Are you gonna do battle of flodden? Please don't kill of James IV, I really like him. Did Elizabeth of York die with Arthur surviving? Babies? Teeeeelllll meeee moooore teeeelll meee mooooreee!
 
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