1524-1527
In March 1524, Princess Renee, aged 13, arrived in Dogmersfield, much like her unfortunate precedessor, Katherine of Aragon. Prince James was now a tall and dashing man of seventeen who was now spending every two years in each of his parent's domain. He greeted his bride with a kiss on the hand, smiling charmingly at her, speaking to her in fluent French. Renee, for her part, was a friendly and warm girl who wanted nothing more than to fit in with her new family. She also seemed quite taken with her soon to be husband, finding him very wonderful.
The wedding of Renee and James would not be for another three years, but in the meantime the couple would live together and get to know each other. First they spent some time in Northumberland, with James' childhood friend, the son of the Earl of Northumberland. Among the ladies with Renee came Anne Boleyn. It is not known just how much Renee and James know of Hal Percy's courtship of Anne Boleyn. What is known is when the Earl of Northumberland rejected the idea that Anne would be his daughter-in-law, the Prince and Princess of Wales were quick to speak up in favor of the marriage.
As the future Lady Percy wrote in her letters: "It is always useful to have someone in your corner, but when those people happen to royalty, you suddenly find yourself winning every match."
Despite the good beginning, it soon became clear that helping his friend with the woman he loved was not the only reason, James had wanted to stay in Northumberland for a time. Joan North[1] was a silkwoman and had somehow charmed the Prince of Wales. In August of 1524, it was discovered that Joan was carrying the Prince's baby much to the heartbreak of his wife who had been kept in the dark about her husband's affairs.
Queen Margaret was furious as was King James. Although the Scottish King had his fair share of mistresses and bastards, he had remained faithful since the day Margaret had arrived in Scotland. Both parents urged Prince James to find a husband for his mistress and not acknowledged the child.
Prince James only did half of what his parents demanded, he found a husband for Joan, a wealthy Londoner, but when she gave birth to a baby girl, named Joan, James wasted no time celebrating the birth of his baby daughter. Renee surprised everyone by showing up at the feast, even drinking a toast to little baby's health. However, despite her brave face, it was clear that her feelings for the prince had cooled considerably as she wrote to Queen Margaret, requesting to spend some time in Wales while her husband was in Scotland. Officially because as the Princess of Wales, it was her duty to get to know the Welsh people. Unofficially, she did not want to be in the same room as James, let alone the same country.
Over in Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella welcome their first-born child, a daughter named Catalina. Much to his brother's ire, Ferdinand refuses to get involved in third Italian war, deciding instead on exploration and colonization much like his brother-in-law King John. Both Katherine and Juana try to change his mind, but he simply tells them: "I respect both of you very much, but I will not involve myself in petty squabbles to inflate my own ego. If Francis dares to attack Naples or Sicily, I shall put the rogue down, but for now I wish to distance myself from such matters." To his shock, it would not be France who decided to attack Sicily.
Emperor Charles was not happy. He had a son and two daughter with Mary. He was the ruler of a vast Empire, but he still felt cheated by not getting his grandfather's lands despite being his mother's oldest son. When Ferdinand refused to help him in the Italian war, he decided to press his claim on the Naples, and Sicily. If he thought this would intimidate Ferdinand or cow him into submission, he was wrong. His normally gentle brother was enraged at his betrayal and promised retribution if his brother tried.
If Ferdinand was angry, King Francios of France and King Henri of Navarre were overjoyed by Charles' threat. A divided Hapsburg house was perhaps the best thing for France. They sent letters to the younger Hapsburg, suggesting treaties and alliances. To his mother and aunt's dismay, Ferdinand accepted both alliances. The union would bear fruit when a timely rescue by King Ferdinand saved King Francois from being captured in Pavia.
Just when Emperor Charles was certain things could not get worse, King Louis II of Hungry and Bohemia died. His stepgrandmother, Anne was elected queen and she reveled a shocking secret. She had eloped with his distant cousin, Ernest of Bavaria [2], removing any chance for Charles to have her married to a Hapsburg supporter. No one knew exactly when Anna and Ernest eloped, or how the couple had even pulled it off. Many historians wonder if it was a romantic love story or if Anna had simply not wanted to be a pawn in the Hapsburg politics and had thought marrying a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty would get her much support.
Things were getting out of hand, and unfortunately they would not get better for the Emperor as Martin Luther's reforms were spreading throughout Germany.
1. Joan North was the sister of Edward North, the First Baron North and she was actually a silkwoman for Anne's household when she was queen.
2. John Zápolya a.k.a OTL disputed King of Hungary. Ernest of Bavaria (1500-1560), third son of Duke Albert IV of Bavaria-Munich and his wife, Kunigunde of Austria, daughter of Fredrick, Holy Roman Emperor.
The wedding of Renee and James would not be for another three years, but in the meantime the couple would live together and get to know each other. First they spent some time in Northumberland, with James' childhood friend, the son of the Earl of Northumberland. Among the ladies with Renee came Anne Boleyn. It is not known just how much Renee and James know of Hal Percy's courtship of Anne Boleyn. What is known is when the Earl of Northumberland rejected the idea that Anne would be his daughter-in-law, the Prince and Princess of Wales were quick to speak up in favor of the marriage.
As the future Lady Percy wrote in her letters: "It is always useful to have someone in your corner, but when those people happen to royalty, you suddenly find yourself winning every match."
Despite the good beginning, it soon became clear that helping his friend with the woman he loved was not the only reason, James had wanted to stay in Northumberland for a time. Joan North[1] was a silkwoman and had somehow charmed the Prince of Wales. In August of 1524, it was discovered that Joan was carrying the Prince's baby much to the heartbreak of his wife who had been kept in the dark about her husband's affairs.
Queen Margaret was furious as was King James. Although the Scottish King had his fair share of mistresses and bastards, he had remained faithful since the day Margaret had arrived in Scotland. Both parents urged Prince James to find a husband for his mistress and not acknowledged the child.
Prince James only did half of what his parents demanded, he found a husband for Joan, a wealthy Londoner, but when she gave birth to a baby girl, named Joan, James wasted no time celebrating the birth of his baby daughter. Renee surprised everyone by showing up at the feast, even drinking a toast to little baby's health. However, despite her brave face, it was clear that her feelings for the prince had cooled considerably as she wrote to Queen Margaret, requesting to spend some time in Wales while her husband was in Scotland. Officially because as the Princess of Wales, it was her duty to get to know the Welsh people. Unofficially, she did not want to be in the same room as James, let alone the same country.
Over in Spain, Ferdinand and Isabella welcome their first-born child, a daughter named Catalina. Much to his brother's ire, Ferdinand refuses to get involved in third Italian war, deciding instead on exploration and colonization much like his brother-in-law King John. Both Katherine and Juana try to change his mind, but he simply tells them: "I respect both of you very much, but I will not involve myself in petty squabbles to inflate my own ego. If Francis dares to attack Naples or Sicily, I shall put the rogue down, but for now I wish to distance myself from such matters." To his shock, it would not be France who decided to attack Sicily.
Emperor Charles was not happy. He had a son and two daughter with Mary. He was the ruler of a vast Empire, but he still felt cheated by not getting his grandfather's lands despite being his mother's oldest son. When Ferdinand refused to help him in the Italian war, he decided to press his claim on the Naples, and Sicily. If he thought this would intimidate Ferdinand or cow him into submission, he was wrong. His normally gentle brother was enraged at his betrayal and promised retribution if his brother tried.
If Ferdinand was angry, King Francios of France and King Henri of Navarre were overjoyed by Charles' threat. A divided Hapsburg house was perhaps the best thing for France. They sent letters to the younger Hapsburg, suggesting treaties and alliances. To his mother and aunt's dismay, Ferdinand accepted both alliances. The union would bear fruit when a timely rescue by King Ferdinand saved King Francois from being captured in Pavia.
Just when Emperor Charles was certain things could not get worse, King Louis II of Hungry and Bohemia died. His stepgrandmother, Anne was elected queen and she reveled a shocking secret. She had eloped with his distant cousin, Ernest of Bavaria [2], removing any chance for Charles to have her married to a Hapsburg supporter. No one knew exactly when Anna and Ernest eloped, or how the couple had even pulled it off. Many historians wonder if it was a romantic love story or if Anna had simply not wanted to be a pawn in the Hapsburg politics and had thought marrying a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty would get her much support.
Things were getting out of hand, and unfortunately they would not get better for the Emperor as Martin Luther's reforms were spreading throughout Germany.
1. Joan North was the sister of Edward North, the First Baron North and she was actually a silkwoman for Anne's household when she was queen.
2. J
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