A 20 year old prince paces, the scream of a woman, a princess, his wife. The sound chills him and thrills him. He hears his name and marches into the room, grabbing her hand. His love for her was strong. The maid orders her to push. Finally, when it seemed like the young woman could give no more, the child arrived into the world.
The prince holds his breath, having not moved from his wife's side he doesn't know. The maids face was beaming. Could it be...
"You highness, its a Boy!"
Pride, that was the emotion that filled him. His wife lay exhausted but radiant. His kiss was long and passionate.
"Thank you" he whispered.
Then the maid passed her the baby. The prince made a gesture indicating his swift return in order to inform his father of the news.
Born May 18th 1475 Prince Afonso was the future Heir to the lands of Spain. His father was Prince John, Heir to the Portuguese throne and Afonso was also swiftly married off to the oldest Daughter of Isabella and Fernando of Castile and Aragon. No-one knew then of course how the boy would change Spain and the world. It was only when their only male heir died that life for the boy became... interesting.
But for the moment the boy grew up as simply the heir of Portugal. He enjoyed his father's stories of his African campaign which sparked his imagination and his desire to fight too. The boy was a chip off the old block and almost hero worshipped his father.
In 1481 King Afonso V died and the throne finally passed to John. He became King John II and as the aristocracy feared he began to concentrate power to himself. The conspiracies against him were many and all were brutally destroyed. He even stabbed his father in-law to death.
Afonso completely trusted his father, and his faith was vindicated when he used the power to strengthen the Portuguese economy and improve its influence. Key to this was giving the Council of Scholars a vital role. The positions were non-hereditary and given on merit. It is via this that Afonso met a man of great importance to his future. He was a Jew, a mathematician of skill who the boy thought of as a second father.
By the end of John's reign Portugal was rich, economically sound, expanding its influence around Africa and trading with India. Afonso was, like is father, a perfect prince. He had his fathers attitude and desire for conquest. He loved his wife and was ready for further responsibilities.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the opening to a time line I am attempting to write. At the moment this stuff is pretty much OTL but Prince Afonso is from a completely different sperm. He is not going to die. Instead I plan to put him as the first king of Spain.
The prince holds his breath, having not moved from his wife's side he doesn't know. The maids face was beaming. Could it be...
"You highness, its a Boy!"
Pride, that was the emotion that filled him. His wife lay exhausted but radiant. His kiss was long and passionate.
"Thank you" he whispered.
Then the maid passed her the baby. The prince made a gesture indicating his swift return in order to inform his father of the news.
Born May 18th 1475 Prince Afonso was the future Heir to the lands of Spain. His father was Prince John, Heir to the Portuguese throne and Afonso was also swiftly married off to the oldest Daughter of Isabella and Fernando of Castile and Aragon. No-one knew then of course how the boy would change Spain and the world. It was only when their only male heir died that life for the boy became... interesting.
But for the moment the boy grew up as simply the heir of Portugal. He enjoyed his father's stories of his African campaign which sparked his imagination and his desire to fight too. The boy was a chip off the old block and almost hero worshipped his father.
In 1481 King Afonso V died and the throne finally passed to John. He became King John II and as the aristocracy feared he began to concentrate power to himself. The conspiracies against him were many and all were brutally destroyed. He even stabbed his father in-law to death.
Afonso completely trusted his father, and his faith was vindicated when he used the power to strengthen the Portuguese economy and improve its influence. Key to this was giving the Council of Scholars a vital role. The positions were non-hereditary and given on merit. It is via this that Afonso met a man of great importance to his future. He was a Jew, a mathematician of skill who the boy thought of as a second father.
By the end of John's reign Portugal was rich, economically sound, expanding its influence around Africa and trading with India. Afonso was, like is father, a perfect prince. He had his fathers attitude and desire for conquest. He loved his wife and was ready for further responsibilities.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the opening to a time line I am attempting to write. At the moment this stuff is pretty much OTL but Prince Afonso is from a completely different sperm. He is not going to die. Instead I plan to put him as the first king of Spain.
