I highly doubt it.The successful rule of Margaret herself would have indicated to the English nobles that a woman can rule successfully.Importantly,the English nobles did have profound respect for Margaret herself.
Margaret, Queen of Scotland and Norway, Queen consort of England (1283-1354)
- Thread starter REICHFURST
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True, that would be a consideration. Though those inclined otherwise might note that Margaret hardly ruled as Queen in Scotland or as regent in England without close male 'supervision' and 'guidance'.
And there's always a chance that Edward or his daughters might end up unpopular enough to drive away support.
Close male supervision?Lol!She was supervising the male all the time!The irony was that Edward II could hardly rule without the supervision of his wife!
In the end I expect it would depend on the daughter's husband, if he's popular then she will be Queen, if not then there will be support for a male candidate and a probable civil war.
Alexander or Erik might end up King by conquest
Alexander or Erik might end up King by conquest
I know that and you know that; and Edward wasn't the male supervision I was referring to, but rather the other major figures at court and in government. Particularly in Scotland, given Margaret spent so much time in England.
This all might end up moot if Edward has a son, but one can imagine the immense pressure to make good matches for his daughters if he continues without one.
I am with the other commentators, this proclamation goes against all rights of primogeniture and the moment it is passed does nothing but announce that there will be a civil war on either Margaret's death or not even until then. Perhaps Isabella or Edward III will simply make it such that Alexander experiences an accident with his horse or a mishap on a hunt...
http://www.emersonkent.com/images/british_isles_1300.jpg
I have a question, what's going on in Ireland?
http://www.emersonkent.com/images/british_isles_1300.jpg
I have a question, what's going on in Ireland?
FAMILY AND POLITICS (PART 2)
Extract of the Chronica Gentis Scotorum of John of Fordun, who showed Prince-Regent Alexander and his wife, Infanta Violante of Aragon.
Extract of the Chronica Gentis Scotorum of John of Fordun, who showed Prince-Regent Alexander and his wife, Infanta Violante of Aragon.
During her stay at Windsor Castle, Queen Margaret firstly wanted to obtain the acquiescence of her son King Edward III about the election of his younger brother as heir of Scotland. Although the English monarch wasn't of a warlike nature, the political situation in the Kingdom forced him to disagreed with his mother, moreover because the great Lords, leaded by the Earls of Lancaster, Warwick and Gloucester, were completely and violently against the separation of both crowns.
The stay of the Queen in England, who was at first scheduled for a couple of weeks, end up lengthen for nearly four months (until late June 1321) trying by all means to attached the powerful English Earls to her side, but she only obtained from them dubious promises of help.
The second other main event who detained the Queen in England was the betrothal of her eldest granddaughter, Princess Margaret, with Prince Philip of France, eldest surviving son and heir of King Louis X and Queen Isambour, who was officialized on 10 April 1321 at the Royal Chapel of Windsor Castle, with the French representant John, Count of Saint-Pol, signing the marriage contract on behalf of Louis X; Queen Margaret, as the eldest member of the English royal family (as Dowager Queen) and in her capacity of being Queen regnant of Scotland and Norway, signed in the name of her son. The needed Papal dispensation, because both Princess Margaret and and Prince Philip are first cousins once removed, was granted by Pope John XXII -the second of the called Avignon Papacy- on 1 May 1321.
As a part of the contract, was stipulated that Princess Margaret could bring the County of Ponthieu as her dowry to the French crown; however, until the marriage could be solemnized, the property remained in the hands of King Edward III, who send the Earl of Warwick to pay homage for it to King Louis X in mid-May 1321.
The betrothal was widely celebrated in the whole Kingdom as a renewal of the English-French alliance for another generation; however, Queen Margaret felt uncomfortable with her granddaughter's betrothal, because could put in jeopardy her own alliance with the Kingdom of France. For this, she began to search also a French marriage for her son Alexander, Prince-Regent of Scotland, who was in marriageable age.
The only available options where the daughters of King Louis X's brothers: Isabelle (born 1310) and Blanche (born 1313), both the two unmarried daughters of the Count of Poitiers or Clemence (born 1317) and Jeanne (born 1318), daughters of the Count of La Marche.
At first, Queen Margaret entertained the idea to pursue the hand of Princess Isabelle; however, since 1316 she was betrothed with Guigues, heir of the Dauphinate of Viennois, and the Count of Poitiers seems to be unwilling to broke the engagement. Later, the Queen turned to the younger Poitiers princess, Blanche, but after she knew through her sister Isambour that "the younger daughter was lame and with a hump, and probably incapable to bear children", she refused the offer. The daughters of the Count of La Marche were also rejected by the Queen, because she wanted a bride for her son old enough to conceive in short term and also with more closeness in the line of succession of the French throne.
The second option for Queen Margaret where the Iberian Kingdoms (Aragon, Castile and Portugal):
- King Jaime II of Aragon had two unmarried daughters, Infanta Blanca (born 1307) and Infanta Violante (born 1310).
- King Alfonso XI of Castile had one unmarried sister, Infanta Leonor (born 1307), whose marriage in 1319 with Infante Jaime of Aragon was unconsummated and annulled. Queen Margaret received reports about the Infanta that "although was beautiful, she possessed a bad character and an ambitious nature despite her tender years, wanting to become a Queen after her disastrous first marriage". Worried with the possibility that Leonor could dominated Alexander in the same way that Isabella made it with Edward III, Queen Margaret abandoned the idea.
- King Afonso IV of Portugal had one daughter, Infanta Maria (born 1313); however, because the Portuguese monarch was already in negociations for a marriage between his daughter and King Alfonso XI of Castile, more political advantageous for him, he inmediately rejected the Queen's plans.
The Crónica de San Juan de la Peña described the curiosity and expectation that the Scottish nobles produced to the Aragonese court:
"....The Scottish nobles, send by their sovereign the Lady Margaret, Queen of Scotland and Norway, were received by King Jaime and his court at Zaragoza....their golden hair who shone like the sun and wild appearance originated much talk at court and among the population...."
King Jaime II, once seeing that the alliance with the Kingdoms of Scotland and Norway could bring him political advantages (moreover in his fight against Castile), gave his consent to the wedding.
The marriage contract was signed at Aljafería Palace in Zaragoza on 1 August 1321 by both Nigel de Brus (who received full powers from the Queen) and King Jaime II in person. As a part of the contract, both Kingdoms agreed to entered in a military agreement under which "if one of the said Kingdoms of Scotland or Aragon was under the threat of war, the other had the obligation to helped the other with troops or supplies". The intention of Queen Margaret with this alliance was clear: if the Ebglish counted with the help of France in a possible attempt to invade Scotland, the Kingdom of Aragon, neighbor of the French, could gave to them enough troubles in their borders to difficult the expected help.
Infanta Violante, with a large dowry in jewelry, gold and silver, was escorted by the Scottish entourage to her new home; in addition, she was accompanied by an Aragonese militar contingent leaded by Infante Juan of Aragon, Archbishop of Toledo (Jaime II's younger son). The trip, who began in early September 1321, was extremely lenghty: due to fear to entered in the Kingdom of Navarre (at that point united with France), the cortege was forced made the journey crossing the Kingdom of Castile, following the diplomatic request of King Jaime II to the Castilian regents who ruled on behalf of the infant Alfonso XI. Following a journey through Almazan, Soria, Aranda del Duero, Aguilar de Campoo and Reinosa, the cortege arrived to the port of Santander only in mid-November 1321, where a Genoese flotilla (solicited by Queen Margaret specifically due to their naval skills) waited for them.
The trip by sea was also extremely long, because Nigel de Brus, following the Queen's orders, avoided to cross near the English shores. After surrounding the island of Ireland, the flotilla finally arrived to the Scottish port of Ayr in the first hours of 4 January 1322, where Infanta Violante was greeted by the Lord of Annandale, the Guardians of the Kingdom and members of the Parliament.
Inmediately, the cortege made the short trip to Edinburgh Castle, where they finally arrived on 11 January 1322. Prince-Regent Alexander officially received his bride and his retinue "with kind and enthusiasthic words", while the 12-years-old Aragonese Infanta, in a rudimentary old Scottish "showed her affection and satisfaction for her fate".
The wedding between Alexander, Prince-Regent of Scotland and Infanta Violante of Aragon took place at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh on 13 January 1322 in ceremony who was attended by all the Clans chiefs of the Kingdom, courtesans and church hierarchy.
The newlyweds spend their first months of marriage at Stirling Castle; however, due to the age of the Princess, the union was consummated only after her 14th birthday, in October 1324.
TO BE CONTINUED......
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Oh my!
A pan European war is at the horizon.
So, the heir of France is married to the heirres of England?
Which is the designated heir of Norway? Alexander as well? Are the Norvegians happy with that?
How powerfull is the influence of queen Issambour in the French court? Will she happy to support Alexander? or she will go after a triple monarchy for her son? A forthupple even,if you count Navarre.
Why is Aragon happy to go for war with France? They risk invasion for sure. Maybe even the Napolitans will try to go after Sicily if Barcelona is besieged.
A pan European war is at the horizon.
So, the heir of France is married to the heirres of England?
Which is the designated heir of Norway? Alexander as well? Are the Norvegians happy with that?
How powerfull is the influence of queen Issambour in the French court? Will she happy to support Alexander? or she will go after a triple monarchy for her son? A forthupple even,if you count Navarre.
Why is Aragon happy to go for war with France? They risk invasion for sure. Maybe even the Napolitans will try to go after Sicily if Barcelona is besieged.
Magnus VI of Norway (b.1238: d.1280) m. Ingeborg of Denmark (b.1244: d.1287) (a)
1a) Eric II of Norway (b.1268: d.1299) m. Margaret of Scotland (b.1261: d.1283) (a), Isabel Bruce (b.1272) (b)
2a) Haakon V of Norway (b.1270: d.1318) m. Euphemia of Rügen (b.1280: d.1312) (a), p. Various Women (b)
1a) Margaret I, Queen of Scotland and Norway (b.1283) m. Edward II of England (b.1284: d.1318) (a)
2b) Ingeborg *Isambour* Eiriksdatter of Norway (b.1297) m. Louis X of France (b.1289) (a)
1a) Edward III of England (b.1302) m. Isabella of France (b.1295) (a)
2a) Eleanor of Scotland and England (b.1303)
3a) Alexander of Scotland and England, Prince of Scotland (b.1304) m. Violante of Aragon (b.1310)
4a) Eric of Scotland and England (b.1310)
5a) Margaret of Scotland and England (b.1314)
6a) Joan of Scotland and England (b.1316)
1a) Margaret of England (b.1317) b. Philip of France (b.1316)
2a) Miscarriage (c.1318)
3a) Miscarriage (c.1319)
4a) Joan of England (b.1320)
5a) Miscarriage (c.1321)
2a) Miscarriage (c.1318)
3a) Miscarriage (c.1319)
4a) Joan of England (b.1320)
5a) Miscarriage (c.1321)
2a) Eleanor of Scotland and England (b.1303)
3a) Alexander of Scotland and England, Prince of Scotland (b.1304) m. Violante of Aragon (b.1310)
4a) Eric of Scotland and England (b.1310)
5a) Margaret of Scotland and England (b.1314)
6a) Joan of Scotland and England (b.1316)
2b) Ingeborg *Isambour* Eiriksdatter of Norway (b.1297) m. Louis X of France (b.1289) (a)
1a) Philip of France (b.1316) b. Margaret of England (b.1317)
2a) Haakon V of Norway (b.1270: d.1318) m. Euphemia of Rügen (b.1280: d.1312) (a), p. Various Women (b)
1b) Agnes Haakonsdatter, Dame of Borgarsyssel (b.1290) m. Baron Havtore Jonsson (b.1275) (a)
2a) Ingeborg Håkansdotter of Norway (b.1301) m. Eric, Duke of Södermanland (b.1282: d.1318) (a)
1a) Jon Havtoresson (b.1312)
2a) Sigurd Havtoresson (b.1315)
2a) Sigurd Havtoresson (b.1315)
2a) Ingeborg Håkansdotter of Norway (b.1301) m. Eric, Duke of Södermanland (b.1282: d.1318) (a)
1a) Magnus Eriksson, IV of Sweden (b.1316)
2a) Euphemia Eriksdotter of Södermanland (b.1317)
2a) Euphemia Eriksdotter of Södermanland (b.1317)
Reichfurst,I enjoy your stories,but there are times when you are just pushing drama over plausibility too much.
Scottish succession
Regarding the succession for the Kingdom of Scotland, it's difficult to believe that the treaty arranging the marriage of Margaret and Edward II wouldn't have explicitly specified the succession to each throne (Scotland and England). Royal houses in mediaeval times were very concerned about this sort of thing (as were the nobles), because lack of clarity over succession could, and often did, lead to civil war and/or war with another nation.
As I see it, the treaty could either have specified one of four things:
1. A personal union under the first child of the marriage (Edward III of England, who would thus become Edward I of Scotland);
2. Full union of the two kingdoms under the first child of the marriage;
3. Separate kingdoms, with the first-born to be the English heir and the second to be the Scottish heir (as the story seems to imply so far);
4. Separate kingdoms, with the first-born to be the Scottish heir and the second to be the English heir (contrary to the story so far).
Option 1 postpones the problem by a generation, but was relatively common in royal marriage treaties through the centuries.
Option 2 would never have been agreed to by the Scottish nobles.
Options 3 and 4 are also, like 1, similar to OTL treaties, but obviously require there to be a second child - in OTL this sort of thing often led to war (civil or otherwise) later, as one child (son, usually) tried to get what he thought he'd been 'denied'.
Reichfurst, I would suggest you Retcon the story slightly by noting that the marriage treaty specified Option 3, leading to bad blood between the two sons (Edward and Alexander), with support from each from various nobles/nations/etc. But it's your story, so feel free to ignore me if you don't like the idea!
Regarding the succession for the Kingdom of Scotland, it's difficult to believe that the treaty arranging the marriage of Margaret and Edward II wouldn't have explicitly specified the succession to each throne (Scotland and England). Royal houses in mediaeval times were very concerned about this sort of thing (as were the nobles), because lack of clarity over succession could, and often did, lead to civil war and/or war with another nation.
As I see it, the treaty could either have specified one of four things:
1. A personal union under the first child of the marriage (Edward III of England, who would thus become Edward I of Scotland);
2. Full union of the two kingdoms under the first child of the marriage;
3. Separate kingdoms, with the first-born to be the English heir and the second to be the Scottish heir (as the story seems to imply so far);
4. Separate kingdoms, with the first-born to be the Scottish heir and the second to be the English heir (contrary to the story so far).
Option 1 postpones the problem by a generation, but was relatively common in royal marriage treaties through the centuries.
Option 2 would never have been agreed to by the Scottish nobles.
Options 3 and 4 are also, like 1, similar to OTL treaties, but obviously require there to be a second child - in OTL this sort of thing often led to war (civil or otherwise) later, as one child (son, usually) tried to get what he thought he'd been 'denied'.
Reichfurst, I would suggest you Retcon the story slightly by noting that the marriage treaty specified Option 3, leading to bad blood between the two sons (Edward and Alexander), with support from each from various nobles/nations/etc. But it's your story, so feel free to ignore me if you don't like the idea!
FAMILY AND POLITICS (PART 3)
Ludwig IV, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor. Mosaic at Munich Cathedral.
Ludwig IV, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor. Mosaic at Munich Cathedral.
On 1 August 1322, Prince Eric, the third and youngest son of Queen Margaret, was officially recognized as Heir and Lord of Norway by the Haugating of Tønsberg. With this event, the Queen yielded to the intense pressure that the Norwegian nobility had over the succession matter. Two days later, on 3 August, the 12-years-old prince was appointed Governor and Regent of the Kingdom during his mother's absence; however, due to his minority a Council of Nobles leaded by Archbishop Eilif of Nidaros, Bishop Audfinn of Bergen and Count Bjørnar Gyldenløve af Rossø was choose as advisors.
During the following months, the Queen's political moves were aimed to secure the succession of her son Alexander in Scotland. The Treaty of Salisbury of 1290, although clearly stipulated only a personal union between England and Scotland with the marriage of the Maid and the future Edward II, wasn't clear about the succession, probably because King Edward I already believed that the laws of primogeniture would be respected in both Kingdoms, and the Scottish-English Union could be permanent.
The loophole in the terms of the Treaty of Salisbury about the succession were the Queen's excuse to effectively desinherited her oldest son: being Sovereign of Scotland, she had "the prerogative to choose her successor for her realm, in accordance with the local customs and laws." Pope John XXII, after several petitions of Queen Margaret and following the advices of the French Queen Isambour (who was the real political force in the Kingdom of France and was unconditionally at the side of her half-sister), promulgated on 10 November 1322 the Bull Scotiae Hereditatem, declaring that
"The Queen of Scotland had the legal right to leave her crown to the heirs of her blood of her choice, but without prejudice of the rights of the Lord King Edward of England and his heirs in the absence of the designated heirs of the Lady Queen Margaret of Scotland"
Edward III (aimed by his nobles and his own wife Isabella) reacted violently and refused to recognized the Bull, continuing to declared himself "Prince and Heir of Scotland", despite the election of his brother, a fact which resulted in the complete breakdown in the relationships between the Queen and her eldest son.
The Norwegian nobles supported their Queen, as was seeing in the successful revision of the terms of the Treaty of Bergen of 1320, stipulating that "the Kingdoms of Norway and Scotland kept their fraternal bonds even beyond the Lady Queen's death" and also the tax reduction in the trade with the Kingdom of England was declared annulled.
Was at this time, that Queen Margaret became involved in the war between Ludwig of Upper Bavaria and Frederick of Habsburg for the German crown.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
After several years of bloody war, Frederick of Habsburg was close to the victory, thanks to the strong support of his brother Leopold, Duke of Austria. However, the Habsburg army was decisively defeated in the Battle of Mühldorf on 28 September 1322 on the Ampfing Heath, where Frederick and 1300 nobles from Austria and Salzburg were captured.
Ludwig held Frederick captive in Trausnitz Castle, but Leopold of Austria continue with his determined resistance. In early December 1322, an Habsburg embassy was send to the royal court at Akershus Fortress in Oslo, where Queen Margaret was at that time, asking her militar intervention to defeat the "Bavarian usurper" and to rescue the "Legitimate King of the Romans and Duke of the Austrians". Both Prince-Regent Alexander of Scotland (whose sister-in-law, Infanta Isabel of Aragon, was Frederick's wife) and Pope John XXIII strongly favored the Habsburg side, and tried to convince the Queen to support the revolt against Ludwig of Bavaria.
Despite her alliance with King Jaime II of Aragon (who logically supported his son-in-law) and the repeated pleas of her son Alexander to send militar reinforcements to the Habsburgs, Queen Margaret still hesitated about it. Finally, in early March 1323 she decided to send Norwegian troops to help "King Frederick of Germany", as she recognized the Habsburg claimant in her correspondance, while Prince-Regent Alexander also send an Scottish militar contingent.
Both armies arrived to Germany only in mid-June 1323; however, due to their delay they were badly mistreated by Duke Leopold of Austria, whose arrogant behavior and obstinacy caused a serie of disputes with the Norwegian and Scottish militar leaders. These conflicts didn't help to the Habsburg cause, and the results were seeing in the Battles of Rotenburg (4 July 1323), Walsrode (25 July 1323) and Wittingen (1 August 1323) were the combined Habsburg-Norwegian-Scottish army (who failed to worked united) was defeated by the Bavarian army.
Once the Queen knew that her troops were badly treated by the Austrian Duke, she inmediately retired her troops from German soil and began separated peace negociations with Ludwig of Bavaria, which ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paderborn (17 August 1323), under which Queen Margaret agreed with the withdrawal of her troops but without recognized him as King of the Romans until he obtained the support and blessing of Pope John XXIII.
The Pope, however, refused adamantly to recognize the triumph of Ludwig of Bavaria, despite that almost all the Kingdom of Germany was in his effective possession and he counted with the support of the main noble families of the Holy Roman Empire.
The situation between Ludwig of Bavaria and the Apostolic See worsened in 1324, when Pope John XXIII excommunicated him. Despite this, the sanction had less effect than in earlier similar disputes between Empire and Papacy, and also the Bavarian kept his firm rule over the Kingdom of Germany and, after ended his betrothal with the eldest daughter of William I, Count of Hainaut, Holland and Zeeland, he oppenly began to pursue the hand of Princess Eleanor, the eldest daughter of Queen Margaret, whose reported extreme beauty and triple condition of Princess of England, Scotland and Norway could gave to Ludwig prestige among the European rulers, and moreover, the acquisition of his rich dowry, then badly needed by the Bavarian, whose finances, after years of civil wars, were exhausted.
Pope John XXIII condemned Ludwig's actions and warned Queen Margaret to not "entered in such alliance and gave her daughter to an heretic"; however, the retreat of King John of Bohemia from the Bavarian alliance, and the Pope's ban over the Empire finally induced Louis to release Frederick of Habsburg after the signing of the Treaty of Trausnitz (13 March 1325), under which Frederick recognized Ludwig as legitimate ruler.
King Ludwig IV of Germany celebrated a second coronation ceremony at Aachen on 1 April 1325, with the major noble families (among them Frederick of Habsburg and his family) in attendance. Only after this second coronation and after the Frederick's renunciation, Queen Margaret agreed to entered in serious negociations with the German King for her eldest daughter's hand.
The marriage contract was signed on 10 May 1325 at the Alter Hof of Munich, Ludwig IV's main residence. Under the terms of the contract, the Queen demanded that in exchange of her daughter's dowry, she could received several lands as her dower, and also she must to be crowned Queen of Germany and Holy Roman Empress (when the relationship with the Papacy became solved).
TO BE CONTINUED.....
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Magnus VI of Norway (b.1238: d.1280) m. Ingeborg of Denmark (b.1244: d.1287) (a)
1a) Eric II of Norway (b.1268: d.1299) m. Margaret of Scotland (b.1261: d.1283) (a), Isabel Bruce (b.1272) (b)
2a) Haakon V of Norway (b.1270: d.1318) m. Euphemia of Rügen (b.1280: d.1312) (a), p. Various Women (b)
1a) Margaret I, Queen of Scotland and Norway (b.1283) m. Edward II of England (b.1284: d.1318) (a)
2b) Ingeborg *Isambour* Eiriksdatter of Norway (b.1297) m. Louis X of France (b.1289) (a)
1a) Edward III of England (b.1302) m. Isabella of France (b.1295) (a)
2a) Eleanor of Scotland and England (b.1303) m. Ludwig IV of Germany (b.1282) (a)
3a) Alexander of Scotland and England, Prince of Scotland (b.1304) m. Violante of Aragon (b.1310)
4a) Eric of Scotland and England, Heir and Lord of Norway (b.1310)
5a) Margaret of Scotland and England (b.1314)
6a) Joan of Scotland and England (b.1316)
1a) Margaret of England (b.1317) b. Philip of France (b.1316)
2a) Miscarriage (c.1318)
3a) Miscarriage (c.1319)
4a) Joan of England (b.1320)
5a) Miscarriage (c.1321)
2a) Miscarriage (c.1318)
3a) Miscarriage (c.1319)
4a) Joan of England (b.1320)
5a) Miscarriage (c.1321)
2a) Eleanor of Scotland and England (b.1303) m. Ludwig IV of Germany (b.1282) (a)
3a) Alexander of Scotland and England, Prince of Scotland (b.1304) m. Violante of Aragon (b.1310)
4a) Eric of Scotland and England, Heir and Lord of Norway (b.1310)
5a) Margaret of Scotland and England (b.1314)
6a) Joan of Scotland and England (b.1316)
2b) Ingeborg *Isambour* Eiriksdatter of Norway (b.1297) m. Louis X of France (b.1289) (a)
1a) Philip of France (b.1316) b. Margaret of England (b.1317)
2a) Haakon V of Norway (b.1270: d.1318) m. Euphemia of Rügen (b.1280: d.1312) (a), p. Various Women (b)
1b) Agnes Haakonsdatter, Dame of Borgarsyssel (b.1290) m. Baron Havtore Jonsson (b.1275) (a)
2a) Ingeborg Håkansdotter of Norway (b.1301) m. Eric, Duke of Södermanland (b.1282: d.1318) (a)
1a) Jon Havtoresson (b.1312)
2a) Sigurd Havtoresson (b.1315)
2a) Sigurd Havtoresson (b.1315)
2a) Ingeborg Håkansdotter of Norway (b.1301) m. Eric, Duke of Södermanland (b.1282: d.1318) (a)
1a) Magnus Eriksson, IV of Sweden (b.1316)
2a) Euphemia Eriksdotter of Södermanland (b.1317)
2a) Euphemia Eriksdotter of Södermanland (b.1317)
Hi to all the members!! sorry for the delay in post a new update, but my job have me trapped!!
.....due to the several petitions of the readers, I added in the early posts a clarification about the succesion and union of the Scottish and English crowns. I hope you liked, thanks again for the support!!!!!!
.....due to the several petitions of the readers, I added in the early posts a clarification about the succesion and union of the Scottish and English crowns. I hope you liked, thanks again for the support!!!!!!FAMILY AND POLITICS (PART 4)
Extract of the Chronicles of Matthias of Neuenburg, who showed King Ludwig IV and Queen Eleanor surrounded by their court.
The arrival of Eleanor -the Drei Königreiche Prinzessin (Princess of Three Kingdoms: England, Scotland and Norway) as she was called by the chronicler Wigand of Marburg- to Munich, court seat of the Wittelsbach family on 9 September 1325 for her wedding with Louis IV, King of the Romans and Duke of Bavaria, was a lavish affair.
Escorted by a large militar retinue and one of the largest dowries of her time (180,000 pieces of fine silver -reunited from England, Scotland and Norway; despite Edward III's difficult relations with his mother and brothers, he had a close bond with his sister and willingly send his part of her dowry, according to her rights as an English princess and following their father's will- and several pieces of jewelry, tapestries and books). With the bride, arrived a diverse group of courtiers from the three kingdoms: the English ones leaded by the Earl of Lancaster, the Scottish ones under the command of Nigel de Bruce and finally the Norwegians ones with the knight and minister Jon Ragnvaldson Smør.
All the three corteges bring with them their part of the Princess' dowry, but since the beginning appeared difficulties between them. First to all, the delay of the Norwegian retinue, who could bring with them not only Princess Eleanor but also her mother and younger sisters: at the end, Queen Margaret agreed with the requests of her eldest daughter to be with her at that time. The Scottish and English retinues where forced to wait almost two months in the city of Stade, in the Princely-Archdiocese of Bremen, until mid-July 1325, when finally the Norwegian contingent arrived. Now with the complete bridal cortege, the question of precedence among them originated more tensions: Queen Margaret, as sovereign of Scotland and Norway, demanded that her subjects must be inmediately behind her during all the trip to Munich, a fact who was considered an insult by the English, because they believed that Eleanor's patrilineal descent must be respected and thus she was firstly a Princess of England, and thus the English cortege had the preeminence.
However, in the first stop of the journey, at the official entry to the city of Lüneburg (4 August 1325), Queen Margaret made the entrance escorted by both Nigel de Bruce and Jon Ragnvaldson Smør, being both of them holding the bridle of her horse; the Earl of Lancaster, outraged about this, reportedly "showed an embittered and pale face during all the ceremonies".
In the next official entry scheduled, at the city of Goslar (21 August 1325), the Earl of Lancaster forbidden the English to made the entrance if "their rights and high-born births weren't respected properly". This revolt of the English retinue caused considerable distress in Princess Eleanor, who reportedly became sick with fever; at the end, was her who asked her mother to allowed the Earl of Lancaster to carrying the bridle of her own horse "as a sign of respect to her late father". Despite her reservations, Queen Margaret agreed.
After this incident, the retinue continue their trip without difficulties. The next main stop was at the Princely Abbey of Fulda (Fürstabtei Fulda) in Hesse, where the Prince-Abbot Heinrich VI von Hohenberg received the future German Queen with full honors. In the high altar consecrated to Saint Sturm, founder of the Abbey in the 8th century, reportedly Princess Eleanor prayed fervently for "be pleasing to the eyes of her future husband and gave birth only healthy sons".
At the urging of King Ludwig IV (who wanted that his wedding must be celebrated as soon as possible), the royal retinue made the second part of the trip to Munich at an accelerated pace; however, the crossing of the districts of Hammelburg, Schweinfurt, Zeil am Main, Ebrach, Scheinfeld, Neustadt an der Aisch, Ansbach, Gunzelhausen and Treuchtlingen delayed due to bad weather and the cortege finally arrived to the town of Nördlingen, on 3 September 1325; once there, arrived a message of Adolf, titular Count Palatine of the Rhine (Ludwig IV's nephew), leader of the German retinue send by the King, with the news that the official handing of the Princess must be celebrated in the district of Donauwörth, in the banks of the Danube river, on 5 September. However, Queen Margaret refused to made the ceremony of handing at Donauwörth after she knew that in this district Marie of Brabant (first wife of Duke Ludwig II of Upper Bavaria -Ludwig IV's father-) was beheaded in 1256 after being accused of adultery by her husband; considering that this could be of bad luck (mì-àdh), the Scottish sovereign send her messengers to inform Count Adolf that the retinue must be advanced to the district of Neuburg and der Donau, where the ceremony of handing could be finally took place. Exasperated by the delay, Count Adolf reportedly broke into pieces the Scottish Queen's message and was ready to return to Munich; however, convinced by Heinrich VI, Duke of Carinthia and Count of Tyrol (part of the German retinue), he finally agreed to moved with his companions to Neuburg and der Donau, where the solemn handing of the bride (Aushändigung der Braut) finally took place on 7 September 1325.
In the ceremony, Princess Eleanor, flanked by her mother and the English, Scottish and Norwegian representants, was presented to Count Adolf, who escorted her in the next step of the trip; inmediately, was showed the estipulated dowry of the future Queen, who reportedly was "carefully inspected by the German lords, much to the dismay and scandal of the bride and her retinue" (chronicler Wigand of Marburg). After a short trip through the cities of Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm and Dachau, the royal retinue finally arrived to Munich in the first hours of 9 September, in a middle of great celebrations and homage from the population to their future Queen.
King Ludwig IV, with his children and court, officially greeted his bride in his royal palace. The sovereign was favorably impressed by the beauty and elegance of Princess Eleanor and her sisters; in the other hand, Queen Margaret caused a sensation among the German court and population: according to the Teutonic chronicler Nikolaus von Jeroschin
The mother of our new Queen, the noble Margaret, Queen of the Scots, of the Norwegians and the English, completely dressed in purple, gold and silver, despite her age still kept her beauty and legendary arrogance....she spoke with the German ladies and knights in a perfect French, and although she didn't know our language, she asked the young heiress of Carinthia and Tyrol (the 7-years-old Margaret, only surviving child of Duke Heinrich VI) to gave to her some lessons, which caused a great pride in her father the Duke, who since them became in one of the most staunch supporters of the new Queen.
The wedding between King Ludwig IV of Germany and Eleanor, Princess of England, Scotland and Norway, took place at St. Peter's Church in Munich on 10 September 1325. In the ceremony, and according to the terms of her marriage contract, Eleanor was crowned Queen of the Germans. The festivities lasted for almost three weeks, during which the German King expressed his desire to reafirm the bond with the Scottish Queen with another wedding: his youngest son Stephen with either Princesses Margaret or Joan. However, Queen Margaret declined the suggestion.
TO BE CONTINUED......
The wedding between King Ludwig IV of Germany and Eleanor, Princess of England, Scotland and Norway, took place at St. Peter's Church in Munich on 10 September 1325. In the ceremony, and according to the terms of her marriage contract, Eleanor was crowned Queen of the Germans. The festivities lasted for almost three weeks, during which the German King expressed his desire to reafirm the bond with the Scottish Queen with another wedding: his youngest son Stephen with either Princesses Margaret or Joan. However, Queen Margaret declined the suggestion.
TO BE CONTINUED......
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