List of monarchs III
- Thread starter Shiva
- Start date
-
- Tags
- alt history lists ruler game
Another possibility might be creating fictional dynasties for fictional realms..?
Just a reminder ...
We did once do an Arthurian TL, but just making up a realm and a dynasty doesn't seem entirely in keeping with the above. Each TL is built around a divergence point and continues from there, so you can create a country that doesn't exist in OTL - we've done this many times including the Principality of Waterloo, the Holy Iberian Empire - but its always been a natural development from a real world divergence point.
For monarch lists, we should have more lists which naturally end before the "present day" instead of somehow lasting into the present, either due to foreign conquest or because a republican revolution did away with the monarchy.
HJR
Banned
If nobody else is posting, I'll start a new thread.
Princes of Bulgaria:
1879 - 1886: Alexander I (House of Battenberg)
1886 - 1910: Alexander II (House of Bogaridi)[1]
[1]
After the deposition of Prince Alexander by a Russian-backed coup in 1886, the throne of Bulgaria lay vacant, and the Grand National Assembly considered a half-dozen candidates from across Europe to take his place. In the end, though, they decided on a candidate that was much closer to home: Alexander Bogoridi, the former governor-general of Eastern Rumelia. Bogoridi was a liberal nationalist who had spent the last decade as a diplomat in Paris, keeping him out of the political turmoil of the 1880s, leaving him as a compromise candidate acceptable to all factions. In October 1886, Bogoridi was invited to return to Bulgaria and assume the throne, taking the regnal name Alexander II of Bulgaria.
Alexander II spends the first years of his reign striving to remain ‘above the fray’ of parliamentary politics, sponsoring the repeal of the Constitution of 1881 and the expansion of the franchise, with vague ambitions of expanding Bulgaria’s territories. This leads to the dominance of the People’s Liberal Party in the late 1880s and early 1890s under the ‘Bulgarian Bismarck’ Stefan Stambolov, during which time land reform and infrastructure develop continue apace. However, Alexander grows concerned by Stambolov’s increasing paranoia and authoritarianism. In 1893, Stambolov attempts to have one of his rivals, Petko Karavelo, arrested on trumped-up charges, and Alexander dismisses his government, sparking a constitutional crisis that ends in Stambolov being driven into exile later that year. Thereafter, Bulgarian politics are dominated by the back-and-forth between Karavelo’s left-wing Liberal Democrats and Konstantin Stoilov’s Conservatives, and although Alexander is personally sympathetic to Karavelo he remains safely apolitical for the rest of his reign.
On a personal level, Alexander finances the construction of hospitals in Sofia and Plovdiv, as well as the construction of a new complex for the Cyril and Methodius Library. He also supports the continuation of the national revival by providing patronage for nationalist poets and writers. By the time of his death in 1910, he is beloved by the common people and immortalized as the “Elder Prince” of the nation. However, his final illness leaves a brewing succession crisis, as his nearest relative is a distant cousin, and the National Assembly is forced to step in and select a ruler once again.
Princes of Bulgaria:
1879 - 1886: Alexander I (House of Battenberg)
1886 - 1910: Alexander II (House of Bogaridi)[1]
[1]
Alexander II spends the first years of his reign striving to remain ‘above the fray’ of parliamentary politics, sponsoring the repeal of the Constitution of 1881 and the expansion of the franchise, with vague ambitions of expanding Bulgaria’s territories. This leads to the dominance of the People’s Liberal Party in the late 1880s and early 1890s under the ‘Bulgarian Bismarck’ Stefan Stambolov, during which time land reform and infrastructure develop continue apace. However, Alexander grows concerned by Stambolov’s increasing paranoia and authoritarianism. In 1893, Stambolov attempts to have one of his rivals, Petko Karavelo, arrested on trumped-up charges, and Alexander dismisses his government, sparking a constitutional crisis that ends in Stambolov being driven into exile later that year. Thereafter, Bulgarian politics are dominated by the back-and-forth between Karavelo’s left-wing Liberal Democrats and Konstantin Stoilov’s Conservatives, and although Alexander is personally sympathetic to Karavelo he remains safely apolitical for the rest of his reign.
On a personal level, Alexander finances the construction of hospitals in Sofia and Plovdiv, as well as the construction of a new complex for the Cyril and Methodius Library. He also supports the continuation of the national revival by providing patronage for nationalist poets and writers. By the time of his death in 1910, he is beloved by the common people and immortalized as the “Elder Prince” of the nation. However, his final illness leaves a brewing succession crisis, as his nearest relative is a distant cousin, and the National Assembly is forced to step in and select a ruler once again.
If nobody else is posting, I'll start a new thread.
Princes of Bulgaria:
1879 - 1886: Alexander I (House of Battenberg)
1886 - 1910: Alexander II (House of Bogaridi)[1]
1910-1914: Krum II (House of Battenberg) [2]
Tsar of Bulgaria:
1914-1941: Krum II "the Fearless" (House of Battenberg) [2]
[1]
Spoiler: Face
After the deposition of Prince Alexander by a Russian-backed coup in 1886, the throne of Bulgaria lay vacant, and the Grand National Assembly considered a half-dozen candidates from across Europe to take his place. In the end, though, they decided on a candidate that was much closer to home: Alexander Bogoridi, the former governor-general of Eastern Rumelia. Bogoridi was a liberal nationalist who had spent the last decade as a diplomat in Paris, keeping him out of the political turmoil of the 1880s, leaving him as a compromise candidate acceptable to all factions. In October 1886, Bogoridi was invited to return to Bulgaria and assume the throne, taking the regnal name Alexander II of Bulgaria.
Alexander II spends the first years of his reign striving to remain ‘above the fray’ of parliamentary politics, sponsoring the repeal of the Constitution of 1881 and the expansion of the franchise, with vague ambitions of expanding Bulgaria’s territories. This leads to the dominance of the People’s Liberal Party in the late 1880s and early 1890s under the ‘Bulgarian Bismarck’ Stefan Stambolov, during which time land reform and infrastructure develop continue apace. However, Alexander grows concerned by Stambolov’s increasing paranoia and authoritarianism. In 1893, Stambolov attempts to have one of his rivals, Petko Karavelo, arrested on trumped-up charges, and Alexander dismisses his government, sparking a constitutional crisis that ends in Stambolov being driven into exile later that year. Thereafter, Bulgarian politics are dominated by the back-and-forth between Karavelo’s left-wing Liberal Democrats and Konstantin Stoilov’s Conservatives, and although Alexander is personally sympathetic to Karavelo he remains safely apolitical for the rest of his reign.
On a personal level, Alexander finances the construction of hospitals in Sofia and Plovdiv, as well as the construction of a new complex for the Cyril and Methodius Library. He also supports the continuation of the national revival by providing patronage for nationalist poets and writers. By the time of his death in 1910, he is beloved by the common people and immortalized as the “Elder Prince” of the nation. However, his final illness leaves a brewing succession crisis, as his nearest relative is a distant cousin, and the National Assembly is forced to step in and select a ruler once again.
[2] The son of the deposed - and deceased - Prince Alexander the I, Krum Asen Louis Alexander von Battenberg was raised in exile, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, by his widowed actress mother with the support of the ruling Habsburgs and a Bulgarian pension to provide for him. Known as Count Hartenau, the exiled Prince was educated in the finest Austrian institutions, entering the University of Gratz with the goal to become a doctor in law in the future. His stay at university would be cut, however, with the death of Alexander Bogaridi in 1910.
Bogaridi, already an old man when he became Prince of Bulgaria, had no children, no nephews and had only distant relatives - with the most prestigious branch being Romanians. In an emerging country like Bulgaria, liberated after centuries of occupation, it rapidly became a choice amongst the Princes of Europe. Many Bulgarians however, already had a Prince, in the distant figure of Louis Assen. That Assen, upon reaching adulthood, had develloped a well-known pen-pal relationship with Bogaridi was also known. Thus, the exiled Prince was once more chosen to be King, being complied to leave his home in Austria and his future in law to become a Prince of the Bulgarians.
Despite a difficult time asserting his rule of his new country, Krum (his first and regnal name) grew into a personality admired by the Bulgarian public, even if not famous with it's politicians - Krum was well-mannered, bold, ambitious and liberal, with a down-to-earth attitude and a strong desire to be a national leader and uplift his people. The outbreak of the Balkan War saw Krum finally take his place as the leader of the Bulgarian people - both as a general and soldier and as a politican and diplomat. Krum would lead the secret negotiations with Serbia and Greece, not being senselessly nationalistic and achieving compromises on territorial gains with the Greeks. Agreeing to to only take Vardar Macedonia and to take Eastern Thrace with the Greeks, alongside a free-market and free-movement of people in what would become Greek Macedonia and Thrace. This alliance of the three countries would invade the Ottoman Empire in 1912, defeating in 1914 with the whole occupation of the Balkans. While many would argue Bulgaria could have gained more - the expansion into Eastern Thrace and Vardar Macedonia, adding the the two important cities of Skopje and Adrianople to the country would prove important.
Leading the way in the Balkans as a respected leader of the strongest, if not excessively, of the Balkans countries, Bulgaria and Greece would ratify their friendship with the marriage of Krum to Princess Eva of Greece. Eva would stay at Krum's side for more until the rest of his wife, having six children together while Bulgaria and Krum aged into maturity, with Bulgaria emerging as the strongest country in the Balkans, both militarily and economically, with a strong national identity and good relationships with most of Europe, having stayed neutral in WW1. Krum would die of lung cancer in his fifties, just as WW2 started. He was succeeded by ______________.
Princes of Bulgaria:
1879 - 1886: Alexander I (House of Battenberg)
1886 - 1910: Alexander II (House of Bogaridi)[1]
1910-1914: Krum II (House of Battenberg) [2]
Tsar of Bulgaria:
1914-1941: Krum II "the Fearless" (House of Battenberg) [2]
[1]
Spoiler: Face
After the deposition of Prince Alexander by a Russian-backed coup in 1886, the throne of Bulgaria lay vacant, and the Grand National Assembly considered a half-dozen candidates from across Europe to take his place. In the end, though, they decided on a candidate that was much closer to home: Alexander Bogoridi, the former governor-general of Eastern Rumelia. Bogoridi was a liberal nationalist who had spent the last decade as a diplomat in Paris, keeping him out of the political turmoil of the 1880s, leaving him as a compromise candidate acceptable to all factions. In October 1886, Bogoridi was invited to return to Bulgaria and assume the throne, taking the regnal name Alexander II of Bulgaria.
Alexander II spends the first years of his reign striving to remain ‘above the fray’ of parliamentary politics, sponsoring the repeal of the Constitution of 1881 and the expansion of the franchise, with vague ambitions of expanding Bulgaria’s territories. This leads to the dominance of the People’s Liberal Party in the late 1880s and early 1890s under the ‘Bulgarian Bismarck’ Stefan Stambolov, during which time land reform and infrastructure develop continue apace. However, Alexander grows concerned by Stambolov’s increasing paranoia and authoritarianism. In 1893, Stambolov attempts to have one of his rivals, Petko Karavelo, arrested on trumped-up charges, and Alexander dismisses his government, sparking a constitutional crisis that ends in Stambolov being driven into exile later that year. Thereafter, Bulgarian politics are dominated by the back-and-forth between Karavelo’s left-wing Liberal Democrats and Konstantin Stoilov’s Conservatives, and although Alexander is personally sympathetic to Karavelo he remains safely apolitical for the rest of his reign.
On a personal level, Alexander finances the construction of hospitals in Sofia and Plovdiv, as well as the construction of a new complex for the Cyril and Methodius Library. He also supports the continuation of the national revival by providing patronage for nationalist poets and writers. By the time of his death in 1910, he is beloved by the common people and immortalized as the “Elder Prince” of the nation. However, his final illness leaves a brewing succession crisis, as his nearest relative is a distant cousin, and the National Assembly is forced to step in and select a ruler once again.
[2] The son of the deposed - and deceased - Prince Alexander the I, Krum Asen Louis Alexander von Battenberg was raised in exile, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, by his widowed actress mother with the support of the ruling Habsburgs and a Bulgarian pension to provide for him. Known as Count Hartenau, the exiled Prince was educated in the finest Austrian institutions, entering the University of Gratz with the goal to become a doctor in law in the future. His stay at university would be cut, however, with the death of Alexander Bogaridi in 1910.
Bogaridi, already an old man when he became Prince of Bulgaria, had no children, no nephews and had only distant relatives - with the most prestigious branch being Romanians. In an emerging country like Bulgaria, liberated after centuries of occupation, it rapidly became a choice amongst the Princes of Europe. Many Bulgarians however, already had a Prince, in the distant figure of Louis Assen. That Assen, upon reaching adulthood, had develloped a well-known pen-pal relationship with Bogaridi was also known. Thus, the exiled Prince was once more chosen to be King, being complied to leave his home in Austria and his future in law to become a Prince of the Bulgarians.
Despite a difficult time asserting his rule of his new country, Krum (his first and regnal name) grew into a personality admired by the Bulgarian public, even if not famous with it's politicians - Krum was well-mannered, bold, ambitious and liberal, with a down-to-earth attitude and a strong desire to be a national leader and uplift his people. The outbreak of the Balkan War saw Krum finally take his place as the leader of the Bulgarian people - both as a general and soldier and as a politican and diplomat. Krum would lead the secret negotiations with Serbia and Greece, not being senselessly nationalistic and achieving compromises on territorial gains with the Greeks. Agreeing to to only take Vardar Macedonia and to take Eastern Thrace with the Greeks, alongside a free-market and free-movement of people in what would become Greek Macedonia and Thrace. This alliance of the three countries would invade the Ottoman Empire in 1912, defeating in 1914 with the whole occupation of the Balkans. While many would argue Bulgaria could have gained more - the expansion into Eastern Thrace and Vardar Macedonia, adding the the two important cities of Skopje and Adrianople to the country would prove important.
Leading the way in the Balkans as a respected leader of the strongest, if not excessively, of the Balkans countries, Bulgaria and Greece would ratify their friendship with the marriage of Krum to Princess Eva of Greece. Eva would stay at Krum's side for more until the rest of his wife, having six children together while Bulgaria and Krum aged into maturity, with Bulgaria emerging as the strongest country in the Balkans, both militarily and economically, with a strong national identity and good relationships with most of Europe, having stayed neutral in WW1. Krum would die of lung cancer in his fifties, just as WW2 started. He was succeeded by ______________.
POD: Elizabeth of York is born male.
Kings of England:
1442-1483: King Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: King Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
[1] When the future King Edward V was born, he was often seen as his parents' victory as their marriage was seen quite controversial. Edward's early childhood was filled with uncertainty as the War of Roses raged on. But by the time of his father's death, the Lancaster line had nearly died out and the Yorks were in full power. King Edward was a man of seventeen, already married to Anne of France who was pregnant with their first child, when he ascended.
The marriage between King Edward and Anne of France was done in hopes of ending the fighting between France and England. It did not. However, Edward would proclaim that King Louis had blessed England with the most shrewd and perceptive queen. Their marriage was unusually happy by the standards of the time. Edward had no known misstresses and was a devoted husband.
One of King Edward's first steps was reconciling his mother's side of the family with his father's. There are certain stories floating around that Edward grabbed both of his uncles' ears and promised them if they continued to behave badly, he would send them to their rooms with no supper. His efforts mostly paid off even though they were still quite frosty with each other. In hopes of bridging the gap, Edward had one of his maternal cousins be betrothed to Edward of Middleham. Ironically the one thing the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Rivers did agree on was being against his decision to allow Henry Tudor to return to England, restoring his lands and titles.
King Edward believed that red and white roses needed to remain united. He arranged for the marriage of Margaret Pole and Henry Tudor, and gave the latter a place on his council, seeing it as the perfect way to bring the ranments of the line of the red rose back into the fold. Thankfully, his gamble paid off, with the Duke of Richmond proving to be indispensable as an advisor.
Over time Edward would be called the Uncle of Europe as he arranged dynastic matches for his sisters and brothers including the marriage of his younger brother Richard, Duke of York with Anne of Brittany and his sister Cecily would marry King James of Scots. He was well known for his diplomatic and pious nature. However his twenty-year-reign came to a sudden bloody and tragic end, during a joust celebrating his thirty-seventh's birthday, he received a lance to the face, knocking him off his horse. He died in agonizing pain, a violent end for a peaceful man.
Kings of England:
1442-1483: King Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: King Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
[1] When the future King Edward V was born, he was often seen as his parents' victory as their marriage was seen quite controversial. Edward's early childhood was filled with uncertainty as the War of Roses raged on. But by the time of his father's death, the Lancaster line had nearly died out and the Yorks were in full power. King Edward was a man of seventeen, already married to Anne of France who was pregnant with their first child, when he ascended.
The marriage between King Edward and Anne of France was done in hopes of ending the fighting between France and England. It did not. However, Edward would proclaim that King Louis had blessed England with the most shrewd and perceptive queen. Their marriage was unusually happy by the standards of the time. Edward had no known misstresses and was a devoted husband.
One of King Edward's first steps was reconciling his mother's side of the family with his father's. There are certain stories floating around that Edward grabbed both of his uncles' ears and promised them if they continued to behave badly, he would send them to their rooms with no supper. His efforts mostly paid off even though they were still quite frosty with each other. In hopes of bridging the gap, Edward had one of his maternal cousins be betrothed to Edward of Middleham. Ironically the one thing the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Rivers did agree on was being against his decision to allow Henry Tudor to return to England, restoring his lands and titles.
King Edward believed that red and white roses needed to remain united. He arranged for the marriage of Margaret Pole and Henry Tudor, and gave the latter a place on his council, seeing it as the perfect way to bring the ranments of the line of the red rose back into the fold. Thankfully, his gamble paid off, with the Duke of Richmond proving to be indispensable as an advisor.
Over time Edward would be called the Uncle of Europe as he arranged dynastic matches for his sisters and brothers including the marriage of his younger brother Richard, Duke of York with Anne of Brittany and his sister Cecily would marry King James of Scots. He was well known for his diplomatic and pious nature. However his twenty-year-reign came to a sudden bloody and tragic end, during a joust celebrating his thirty-seventh's birthday, he received a lance to the face, knocking him off his horse. He died in agonizing pain, a violent end for a peaceful man.
Last edited:
She's nearly ten years older then him. Is she still the only child of Charles or did Margaret have a son?
Good question. Marie is actually eleven years Edward's senior ITTL.
She is nine years older. I didn't think it was the worst especially when she is her father's heir. Her stepmother and Edward's aunt was the one pushing for the match as it would tie Burgundy and England closer together.
EDIT: If she still seems unacceptable, what about Anne of France or Kunigunde of Austria?
Last edited:
I think it’s a bit of a stretch but not out of the realm of possibility. Especially with her stepmother championing the match.
I think so too, but maybe Anne of France is a bit more realistic.
POD: Elizabeth of York is born male.
Kings of England:
1442-1483: King Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: King Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Queen Elizabeth I (York) [2]
[1] When the future King Edward V was born, he was often seen as his parents' victory as their marriage was seen quite controversial. Edward's early childhood was filled with uncertainty as the War of Roses raged on. But by the time of his father's death, the Lancaster line had nearly died out and the Yorks were in full power. King Edward was a man of seventeen, already married to Anne of France who was pregnant with their first child, when he ascended.
The marriage between King Edward and Anne of France was done in hopes of ending the fighting between France and England. It did not. However, Edward would proclaim that King Louis had blessed England with the most shrewd and perceptive queen. Their marriage was unusually happy by the standards of the time. Edward had no known misstresses and was a devoted husband.
One of King Edward's first steps was reconciling his mother's side of the family with his father's. There are certain stories floating around that Edward grabbed both of his uncles' ears and promised them if they continued to behave badly, he would send them to their rooms with no supper. His efforts mostly paid off even though they were still quite frosty with each other. In hopes of bridging the gap, Edward had one of his maternal cousins be betrothed to Edward of Middleham. Ironically the one thing the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Rivers did agree on was being against his decision to allow Henry Tudor to return to England, restoring his lands and titles.
King Edward believed that red and white roses needed to remain united. He arranged for the marriage of Margaret Pole and Henry Tudor, and gave the latter a place on his council, seeing it as the perfect way to bring the ranments of the line of the red rose back into the fold. Thankfully, his gamble paid off, with the Duke of Richmond proving to be indispensable as an advisor.
Over time Edward would be called the Uncle of Europe as he arranged dynastic matches for his sisters and brothers including the marriage of his younger brother Richard, Duke of York with Anne of Brittany and his sister Cecily would marry King James of Scots. He was well known for his diplomatic and pious nature. However his twenty-year-reign came to a sudden bloody and tragic end, during a joust celebrating his thirty-seventh's birthday, he received a lance to the face, knocking him off his horse. He died in agonizing pain, a violent end for a peaceful man.
[2]
Elizabeth was the sole surviving child of Edward V and Anne of France. A precocious child, she once entertained a visiting French delegation with a performance on the virginals. By the age of nine, she could read and write Latin. She studied French, Spanish, music, dance, and perhaps Greek. If her father was disappointed in having only one child, he still doted on her and she grew up quite close to the daughters of Henry Tudor and Margaret Pole. Her mother, seeing that she was unlikely to bear a living son, arranged for her to marry her cousin Richard, the namesake grandson of the Duke of Gloucester. The marriage proved very fruitful, with eleven living children after sixteen pregnancies.
Her rule is characterized by a blend of strength, intellect, and diplomacy. Queen Elizabeth becomes known for her shrewd political maneuvering, navigating the complex web of European power dynamics to secure England's interests. England experiences a period of stability, prosperity, and cultural flourishing. Known as the Elizabethan Era, her reign witnesses a surge in artistic and literary achievements; under her rule, women gain increased opportunities for education and participation in public life. Female scholars, writers, and artists flourish, contributing to the cultural and intellectual development of England. This Renaissance of female creativity and expression leaves a lasting impact on English literature, art, and philosophy. She forges alliances with Catholic monarchs, such as the Habsburgs in Spain and the Valois in France, solidifying England's position as a bastion of Catholicism.
Inspired by the Catholic humanist movement, she encourages church leaders to address corruption and promote social welfare. Monastic orders flourish under her patronage, focusing on charitable works and education. She implements social reforms, such as labor protections and poverty alleviation measures, to address the needs of the less fortunate. Her dedication to social justice and compassion earns her the admiration of the common people and solidifies her popularity among her subjects.
Her reign leaves an indelible mark on English history, shaping the religious, social, and cultural landscape of the nation. England, firmly rooted in Catholicism, develops a distinct identity as a bastion of the faith.
Kings of England:
1442-1483: King Edward IV (York)
1483-1503: King Edward V "the Peacemaker" (York) [1]
1503-1548: Queen Elizabeth I (York) [2]
[1] When the future King Edward V was born, he was often seen as his parents' victory as their marriage was seen quite controversial. Edward's early childhood was filled with uncertainty as the War of Roses raged on. But by the time of his father's death, the Lancaster line had nearly died out and the Yorks were in full power. King Edward was a man of seventeen, already married to Anne of France who was pregnant with their first child, when he ascended.
The marriage between King Edward and Anne of France was done in hopes of ending the fighting between France and England. It did not. However, Edward would proclaim that King Louis had blessed England with the most shrewd and perceptive queen. Their marriage was unusually happy by the standards of the time. Edward had no known misstresses and was a devoted husband.
One of King Edward's first steps was reconciling his mother's side of the family with his father's. There are certain stories floating around that Edward grabbed both of his uncles' ears and promised them if they continued to behave badly, he would send them to their rooms with no supper. His efforts mostly paid off even though they were still quite frosty with each other. In hopes of bridging the gap, Edward had one of his maternal cousins be betrothed to Edward of Middleham. Ironically the one thing the Duke of Gloucester and the Earl of Rivers did agree on was being against his decision to allow Henry Tudor to return to England, restoring his lands and titles.
King Edward believed that red and white roses needed to remain united. He arranged for the marriage of Margaret Pole and Henry Tudor, and gave the latter a place on his council, seeing it as the perfect way to bring the ranments of the line of the red rose back into the fold. Thankfully, his gamble paid off, with the Duke of Richmond proving to be indispensable as an advisor.
Over time Edward would be called the Uncle of Europe as he arranged dynastic matches for his sisters and brothers including the marriage of his younger brother Richard, Duke of York with Anne of Brittany and his sister Cecily would marry King James of Scots. He was well known for his diplomatic and pious nature. However his twenty-year-reign came to a sudden bloody and tragic end, during a joust celebrating his thirty-seventh's birthday, he received a lance to the face, knocking him off his horse. He died in agonizing pain, a violent end for a peaceful man.
[2]
Elizabeth was the sole surviving child of Edward V and Anne of France. A precocious child, she once entertained a visiting French delegation with a performance on the virginals. By the age of nine, she could read and write Latin. She studied French, Spanish, music, dance, and perhaps Greek. If her father was disappointed in having only one child, he still doted on her and she grew up quite close to the daughters of Henry Tudor and Margaret Pole. Her mother, seeing that she was unlikely to bear a living son, arranged for her to marry her cousin Richard, the namesake grandson of the Duke of Gloucester. The marriage proved very fruitful, with eleven living children after sixteen pregnancies.
Her rule is characterized by a blend of strength, intellect, and diplomacy. Queen Elizabeth becomes known for her shrewd political maneuvering, navigating the complex web of European power dynamics to secure England's interests. England experiences a period of stability, prosperity, and cultural flourishing. Known as the Elizabethan Era, her reign witnesses a surge in artistic and literary achievements; under her rule, women gain increased opportunities for education and participation in public life. Female scholars, writers, and artists flourish, contributing to the cultural and intellectual development of England. This Renaissance of female creativity and expression leaves a lasting impact on English literature, art, and philosophy. She forges alliances with Catholic monarchs, such as the Habsburgs in Spain and the Valois in France, solidifying England's position as a bastion of Catholicism.
Inspired by the Catholic humanist movement, she encourages church leaders to address corruption and promote social welfare. Monastic orders flourish under her patronage, focusing on charitable works and education. She implements social reforms, such as labor protections and poverty alleviation measures, to address the needs of the less fortunate. Her dedication to social justice and compassion earns her the admiration of the common people and solidifies her popularity among her subjects.
Her reign leaves an indelible mark on English history, shaping the religious, social, and cultural landscape of the nation. England, firmly rooted in Catholicism, develops a distinct identity as a bastion of the faith.
Last edited:
@ordinarylittleme I really like your addition, but I do have one criticism. Elizabeth would more likely marry one of her English cousins to secure the succession especially when their are more than one male line Plantagenets running around.
Last edited:
I'm not actually sure who there is on the English side - your post isn't entirely clear on where the rest married to. Besides, wouldn't it be safer to secure the Scottish alliance?
You don't have to specify either, you can just say English cousin. The male Elizabeth of York has two surviving brothers, the oldest was mentioned to have married Anne of Brittany. Then there is Edward of Middleham, the son of Richard of Gloucester and Edward of Warwick, son of George of Clarence. Any one of them could have a male descendant who would be more suitable as a husband for Elizabeth.
I think they would be more concerned about not having a second War of Roses than securing the Scottish alliance.