King Arthur the Posthumous

[Violet Rose Lily]

Tragedy rocked the English court when Prince Arthur of Wales died on April 2 1502. But his death was softened slightly by the Princess of Wales, Katherine of Aragon, being with child. Queen Elizabeth of York raced to her daughter-in-law's side, resolving to help the younger woman through this troubled times. [1] While his wife tended their daughter-in-law and unborn grandchild, King Henry handled the preparations for his eldest son's funeral. This took its toll and Henry was soon bedridden, forcing his mother to be regent for him.

To the most foolish child,

My dearest Bess, I deal with prattling blowhards on a daily basis who seem to think they know more than me just because of my sex, I beg of you not to add to their inane chatter. My son is not dying and you are not failing in your duty as his wife by not racing to his side. The Princess Katherine and her son's health are of the upmost importance. His Highness has agreed that you were needed in Ludlow. He has ordered it and you must obey him.

Sweet girl, my Henry is strong, he has always been. He shall recover, I know he will. Please do not stress yourself by thinking such unpleasant thoughts. Stay with the Princess Katherine, do what you can to keep her calm and in high spirits. She carries the hope of England in her womb.

I shall write more tomorrow, but I have another council meeting which I am looking oh so forward to. Afterwards, I suspect I will have too big of a headache to continue writing. Pray for me, dearest Bess, for I will need all the strength the Lord has to offer.

Sincerely, Margaret R [2]

Despite the encouraging words of Margaret Beaufort, it was clear that the king was weakening and that England was on the cusp of a succession crisis. Those who supported the de la Poles were seeing it as justice for the Tudors only had a eleven-year-old boy as a male heir. Speaking of the Duke of York, he was kept under close guard with his grandmother seeing to it that his education was more rigorous and began searching for a bride for him.

All plans would come to a grinding stop when on July 24, 1502, the Princess Katherine would birth a baby boy in the Welsh Marshes. He was named Arthur and he was christened in a small but lavish ceremony (Archbishop Warham of Canterbury had traveled to Ludlow specifically for this occasion as did several members of the English court). His godparents was the King of Scots, his Aunt Margaret, and his maternal grandparents.

Elizabeth, Princess Katherine, and their entourage left Ludlow it was clear that both mother and child were healthy enough to make the trip back to London. They were greeted by cheering crowds. In August, little Prince Arthur was presented to the court. It was confirmed by several witnesses that when he was put in his great-grandmother's arms, she was visibly fighting back tears.

Meanwhile Queen Elizabeth went straight for her husband's chambers, refusing to leave his side so she could nurse the man she loved back to health. His wife's tender care and the joy of knowing that a piece of his son now lived inside the hallowed halls of the Palace of Placentia seemed to reinvigorate him. By mid-August, he reappeared to take the reigns of rulership from his mother.

King Henry went straight to work, consolidating his realm, preparing for the eventual ascension of his grandson. He arranged a regency council, investing his mother, his wife and his former daughter-in-law as co-regents, his reasoning being that they would always work in the interest of Prince Arthur and would maintain a balance of power. He negotiated with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel for the rest of Katherine's dowry, arguing that while she would not be queen, she would still have a high place of power as regent and the king's mother. As he quarreled with Spain, he arranged the marriage between Anne de La Tour d'Auvergne [3] and his young son Prince Henry. He also confirmed the upcoming nuptials between King James of Scots and Princess Margaret.

By Christmastide 1502, everything seemed to be settled, Prince Arthur was hale and healthy, Prince Henry was engaged, Princess Margaret was set for a queendom, and the King of England seemed in good health.

And yet, by the next spring, the Time of the Ladies would begin.

1. Elizabeth left before Henry had a chance to impregnate her, meaning no 1503 birth that would subsequently killed her.

2. Despite the R usually being for ruling queens, our dear Margaret would use it as her signature.

3. Anne de La Tour d'Auvergne was the heiress of John III, Count of Auvergne Count of Boulogne, Count de Lauraguais. In 1505, she married the Duke of Albany so Henry get to her just in time.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

King Henry fell ill again in January of 1503. He died on February 11 [1] which just so happened to be his wife's birthday. He left his seven month grandson to succeed him. The new King Arthur was now the youngest monarch to take the English throne [2]. Despite mourning for King Henry, the three ladies immediately took control of the regency, unwilling to allow any member of the council, to usurp their position. They were right to worry as the late monarch's body was barely cold when the Duke of Buckingham tried to convince the regency council to make him Lord Protector, citing his right as the oldest male member of the royal family.

If King Henry had not anticipated this move, and the first royal Tudor was not known to be shortsighted, his mother certainly did. She made sure to bolster her standing with the other members of the council, and for those she could not, she simply sent her daughter-in-law, the much loved dowager queen. Buckingham found himself squaring off with Empson and Dudley who both owed their standing to the late king, the Marquess of Dorset who was quite loyal to his half-cousin, the Earl of Oxford, who was a Tudor man through and through, Richard Pole who was actually the eldest member of the royal relatives but did not have the high status to contend with Buckingham.

In the end, Margaret, Katherine, and Elizabeth were sworn in as regents. The late king's will stipulated that the regents would rule until King Arthur was eighteen-years-old. He also made a note that once the Duke of York was a man of eighteen, he would be co-regent as well. Considering there was no mention of Prince Henry becoming Lord Protector to his nephew (something he would constantly grumble about in his later life), it can be assumed that it was King Henry's wish to keep the three ladies in power for as long as his grandson was still too young to rule. Many suspect it was his way of keeping the power balanced and focused on the prince at hand. It worked for the most part. Although many media will play up the rivalry between the three ladies, it should be noted that while there were squabbles between Margaret and Katherine, Dowager Queen Elizabeth was quite skilled playing mediator as Prince Henry once put it, "Those who think my mother is meek and submissive are simpletons. For with only a few quiet words or a disapproving frown, my beloved mother can end an argument."

Once the Time of the Ladies had truly begun, they went to work on handling the negotiations of the remaining Tudor siblings' marriages. King James IV was concerned that with the new changes of management of England that his marriage to Princess Margaret would be delayed or forgotten about. He sent envoys to request that he have his bride by the end of the year. Knowing the history of Lady Margaret [3], King James was even shrewd enough to offer to make an official declaration that he would not consummate the marriage until his queen was older than fifteen. However, he wanted his new queen to live in Scotland to get familiar with her new country. As Margaret and James had already been married by proxy in January before the late king fell ill. It was agreed that Margaret would be sent to Scotland in August, allowing her to celebrate her nephew's first birthday.

As for Princess Mary, she was the seven year old aunt of the new king. At first there was suggestions of a more domestic match. They discuss having Mary marry Thomas Howard or Henry Stafford. However, all discussions comes to a grinding halt when they are offered a chance to have the youngest Tudor be a queen. King John of Dnemark had hoped for a Hapsburg bride for his son, the Prince Elect Christian. Upon learning about this, the English Ambassador of the imperial courts decides to make contact with the Danish envoy. Charles Somerset [4] met with the Danish envoy secretly, not wanting King Arthur's chances of getting a Hapsburg bride be hurt by poaching a possible husband for Isabel of Austria. Thankfully if Philip or Joanna or even the emperor himself knew about the discreet meetings they did not seem to mind all that much, perhaps because it saved them from wasting one of their archduchesses on a prince who might not be king. Still, to not ruffle any feathers, the negotiations were kept under wraps for the time being.

Then there was the matter of Prince Henry, the Duke of York. Anne de La Tour d'Auvergne was the heir of her father, gaining his titles and lands. This of course unnerved the French king so did not want the heir of the English king gaining a bigger foothold in France. He tried to give an alternate, the sister of the Count of Angouleme, Marguerite. He even tried to sweeten the pot by suggesting a dowry fitting a princess. It was a tempting offer especially when Marguerite's brother Francois was the sister of the second in line to the throne of France [5].

However, they would not have time to dwell on such things as de la Pole brothers were poking their head out of the hole they had been hiding in and the three ladies had their first big storm brewing.


[1] Yes, he died the day his wife died in history. I thought it was ironic.

[2] The last baby king was King Henry V who was nine months old, just two months older than our King Arthur.

[3] Margaret gave birth to her son at age thirteen. She would not want her granddaughter going through the same thing. While King James in history did not sleep with Margaret until she was at least sixteen, I feel like he would have gone the extra mile to appease the three regents.

[4] Charles Somerset was actually the French ambassador but I decided to have him working in the Imperial courts instead. Thanks to his actions here, he will be getting that earldom early.

[5] A butterfly. Anne of Brittany's son in 1503 survives. He is named Louis.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

King Arthur continued to grow strong, having passed his first birthday. The three most important ladies of England take a minute to coo and clap at his crawling before they get down to business. First there is the matter of the Duke of Buckingham, there are rumors that he is plotting to overthrow the three regents and take control of the baby king, declaring himself Lord Protector.

While no one could say that Dowager Queen Elizabeth, and Dowager Princess Katherine are not proactive in their protectiveness of the king, it is Lady Margaret who has already has spies among the duke's household, ready to pounce should she get a whiff of treason.

Then there is the Duke of Suffolk and his brother, Richard who are quite comfortable in Burgundy, rising troops to invade England, hoping to take it back now that the Tudor dynasty was being headed by a bunch of children. However, rising an army took time. So as far as the regency council was concerned, they were a problem for another day. Edward Stafford, on the other hand, was a danger in the present.

In the meantime, the regency council thought it best to begin discussion on a bride for the King of England. It was agreed that the best options were Katherine's nieces with Margaret preparing to petition the pope for a dispensation to allow two first cousins to marry. After months of back and forth, it was decided to seek Isabel of Portugal as the bride with assurances from the Portuguese ambassador that several trading ports would be part of her dowry.

They also received news from Charles Somerset that King John of Denmark had agreed to marrying his son to Princess Mary. She would be sent to Denmark once she had turned fifteen.

As spring turned to summer, the Duke of Buckingham decided to make his move. He bribed several of the king's servants to allow him to enter the nursery with his guards to attempt to take the king by force. Unfortunately for him, Margaret Beaufort was no fool and had anticipated that he would be "foolish and arrogant". She arranged for a false baby to sleep in the royal crib while the real king would be in a different set of rooms.

Edward Stafford, former Duke of Buckingham, his brother Henry, and their co-conspirators were arrested, their lands attained, and their lives forfeit.

Out of kindness, Elizabeth of York arranged for his three daughters to join Princess Mary's household while three-year-old Henry Stafford was placed under the watchful eyes of Margaret Pole, the dowager's cousin.

Katherine received tragic news: her mother Queen Isabel was dead. She was devastated and clung to her son as she mourns.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

The Ladies Regent were ecstatic that King Arthur was now a boy of three and has graduated from the school of crawling to the university of walking. They are so proud that every time they see him, they just have to pinch his chubby little cheeks.

As for matter of the toddler king's court, the three ladies decided to divide their duties. Margaret took charge of mounting England's defense for the threat over in Burgundy, even raising the Earl of Surrey to the Dukedom of Norfolk. Princess Katherine, in her role as Spanish ambassador, entreated her sister's support in capturing the wicked Duke of Suffolk and his brother before they could get enough troops to invade England. She promised to support Juana as their father's heir. As for the Queen Dowager, she presided over the court, listening to petitions from ambassadors, and courtiers alike.

It seemed that God was smiling on England for Philip, Duke of Burgundy and his wife, Queen Joanna were shipwrecked, forcing them to become guests of King Arthur until the de la Poles were handed over. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, depending on how you look at it, instead of waiting for Emperor Maximilian's answer, Edmund de la Pole and Richard de la Pole decided instead to mount their invasion.

Philip and Joanna remained in England in the meantime, despite their protests. (Margaret feared if they left, it might have caused Maximilian to lend more support to the duke in retaliation).

Edmund de la Pole had an army of Swiss, French, and Flemish mercenaries, supported by some Irish, and English solders, he landed on the shores of Del. He then marched towards London, prepared to take out the heart of the country. King Arthur, his uncle Prince Henry, and his Aunt Princess Mary were sent to Wales to hide in Pembroke. Dowager Queen Elizabeth went with them as Margaret and Katherine stayed behind to invigorate the English army.

Despite often being on opposite sides, the two women inspired the soldiers, assuring them that the de la Poles were doomed from the start, that God had already blessed the Tudor's reign. The battle of Rochester was a fierce one with both sides inducing heavy casualties. However, the newly named Duke of Norfolk and the soon to be named Marquess of Exeter managed to beat the invaders back and capture the de la Pole brothers.

While it was an excellent victory for the Tudors, the most memorable part of the battle was when two foot soldiers took off their helmets revealing themselves to be Prince Henry, Duke of York and his friend, Charles Brandon. Apparently the two teenagers had gotten it in their heads that they wanted a piece of the glory so they had managed to escape from the entourage heading towards Wales, stolen uniforms, and then hidden themselves among the troops of the Duke of Norfolk.

Charles Brandon received a knighthood and the earldom of Lincoln for his bravery. Prince Henry received an earful from his grandmother and then his mother for his recklessness.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

"I knew this was a bad idea," Charles proclaimed as they sat in Norfolk's tent. The duke had been gracious enough to allow them both to stay in his personal quarters. While William Courtney, uncle of Prince Henry through marriage to Princess Catherine of York, found the boys' escapade deeply amusing, Thomas Howard, a man of fifty, was not quite as cheery. He did not scold either of them, but his expression was grim.

"Then why did you come?" Prince Henry was pleased with himself. Not only had he successfully managed to slip away with Charles without his guards or his mother noticing (they were far too focused on the toddler king to pay any attention to him), he had also managed to join Norfolk's army with barely anyone been the wiser. Oh for those who had grown suspicious, he had merely flashed the badge of the Duke of York, explaining that he was Henry Norris, sent by the Duke of York to join the the fight against the de la Poles.

Charles insisted he was lucky that no one had ever met Henry Norris who was a decade older than the young duke. It was all worth it being on the battlefield, taking down the enemies of England with a sword just like the knights of the old.

"Because someone needed to stop you from getting yourself killed," Charles replied.

"I was like a lion, wasn't I, Charles?" Henry boasted, his eye shinning with pride. "The Lion of York. That's what they will call me."

"The Lion of York is about to get his fur ripped off," Charles muttered under his breath as the imposing figure of Lady Margaret Beaufort entered, her eyes flashing dangerously.

The older woman seemed to spit fire as she spoke even though she never raised her voice. "When I received a letter from poor Elizabeth, wailing over losing her son. I was certain that some malevolent force had taken my grandson, the heir to the Tudor dynasty. What I did not know is that my grandson decided to be a fool. You have not even reached your fifteenth birthday and you decided to join a war."

"I won," Henry protested.

Margaret strode over to him, grabbing his ear and twisting it painfully. "You didn't win and you were lucky that you didn't get yourself killed. Did you even think how you mother would feel if she found out that because your caretakers were careless, you were dead?! Not to mention the succession crisis your death would have left us, least Arthur does not live to sire heirs."

Henry scowled. He hated how everyone treated him like he was only important in the sense that he was the spare. The afterthought. The one everyone looked at only if Arthur wasn't there. Was it any surprise that he wanted more? He wanted to make his own mark on the world, get out of his nephew's shadow.

Lady Margaret finished lecturing her grandson and whirled around on Charles. "You! Kneel now!"

Charles Brandon seemed rather fearful, but he did as he was told. To both boys' surprise, Margaret grabbed a sword and laid it on Charles' shoulder before moving it to the other one. "From here on out, you are a knight, for your service and bravery. You will also receive the earldom of Lincoln."

Without another word, the grandmother of the Tudor dynasty strode out, leaving them to stare after her, dumbfounded.

"She scolded me, but she knighted you and gave you an earldom!" Henry exclaimed, his mouth hanging open. "That's not fair!"

Charles got up from the ground, smirking. "I told you it was a great idea."

The Lion of York looked like he wanted to scratch his friend's eyes out.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

The war was over, but Philip and Juana remained, deciding not to chance the seas until after Juana had given birth. Katherine was at her sister's side when her newest nephew was born [1]. King Arthur, a boy of four, was allowed to hold his cousin. He proclaimed that he finally understood his mother, and grandmother's obsession with pinching his cheeks. Archduke John [2] was christened in a small ceremony. Three months later, the Hapsburgs were finally ready to sail to their destination of Castile. Both Philip and Juana agreed that Katherine would act as their ambassador [3].

With the defeat of Buckingham and the de la Poles brothers (not to mention the continued good health of the boy-king), the glorious regency had consolidated their power. Prince Henry now sixteen-years-old hoped to be made Lord Protector. However, his grandmother reminded him of his father's will (and she was still quite cross over the matter of him putting himself at risk during Suffolk's ill fated rebellion). As a compromise, Prince Henry was named the head of the north council, allowing him to have a small court of his own, mostly to keep him out the regents' hair.

In 1508, Anne de La Tour d'Auvergne, arrived in England. Although she and Henry are married by proxy, her young age meant that they would live separately for at least three years. Elizabeth took the girl into her household, becoming her mentor. The Lady Anne was noted to be a quiet and shy girl, timid in nature. "I might be a lion, but my wife is a nothing more than a mouse," jeered Henry in a letter to his sister, Margaret. "There is only one woman for me and if I were free, I'd choose her above all others."

Lady Margaret was the de facto head of the regency something she quite relished but it was clear that it was taking a toll on her. During the first years of King Arthur's regency, she took on the lion share of the work. Now she was allowing Prince Katherine and Queen Dowager Elizabeth to take charge as she worked less and less. By June 1509, she was bedridden, dying shortly after Prince Henry's eighteenth birthday.

In a surprising show of tact, Prince Henry did not demand to be made co-regent immediately. Instead, he helped his mother arrange the funeral. He was heard saying to an ambassador that all of England wept at the death of a great lady. "My father won his crown, but it would be an insult not to acknowledge my grandmother's role in helping him. Not to mention all that she has done for my nephew." He would have her tomb inscribed with the title of King's Mother and Lady Protector of England.

Sending a letter to her father and her sister, Princess Katherine wrote of how despite their rivalry, she greatly admired the older woman. The dowager queen similarly expressed her grief, noting in a letter that Margaret had been her rock throughout the days of Arthur and Henry's deaths. Then there was King Arthur's reaction. Now reaching his seventh birthday, he was able to grasp the concept of death. He reportedly told his Aunt Mary that he envied her. When asked why, he admitted that she could cry openly, but he could not because he was a king and kings did not cry.

The death of Lady Margaret would see Dowager Queen Elizabeth retire to the country, leaving her grandson's regency in the hands of Prince Henry and Princess Katherine. The time of the ladies was over. England was starting a new era, filled with backstabbing, adultery, and feuding factions.


1. Butterflies flapped their wings. Philip the Handsome gets to live for a bit longer.

2. They have also caused Catherine of Austria to be born male even though I am a bit sad not to have Katherine witness the birth of her namesake. With her sister marrying John III of Portugal, I just didn't see the need for her.

3. Juana is making Katherine her ambassador because she is her sister and she loves her. Philip is doing it to annoy Fernando.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

Scene opens at the Royal Chapel: Dowager Princess Katherine is at the altar praying. Prince Henry enters, beholding her with admiration. Katherine sense someone behind her and she rises.
​

Princess Katherine(warily): Your Grace, forgive me, I did not see you there. (She glances about the chapel, noting with some unease that they are completely alone).

Prince Henry: It is I who should ask for forgiveness, sweet Kat. I did not mean to disturb your devotions. (He moves closer, not taking his eyes off of her).

Princess Katherine: It is quite all right, Your Grace. My ladies should return soon enough to accompany me to my apartments. (She turns away, expecting him to leave her alone). I wanted to say my final goodbyes to your grandmother. I pray will only spend a short time in purgatory before she is accepted at the Lord's table.

Prince Henry: You are a paragon of virtue. (He reaches her, placing his hands on the altar, boxing her in). As compassionate as you are beautiful. (He breathes in her scent, pressing his lips onto her neck).

Princesses Katherine(turns around, scandalized): What do you think you are doing?!

Prince Henry(leans in): Something I have yearned to do since the first time I laid eyes on you. (He grabs her face and draws her into a passionate kiss).

Princess Katherine(pushes him away): Have you lost your senses?! Leave now and we shall never speak of this again.

Prince Henry: Oh, Kat, my heart yearns for you. Your sapphire eyes, your ruby lips, your alabaster skin. (He kisses her neck). If only I was free, I'd choose you as my wife in a heartbeat.

Princess Katherine(enraged): I am your brother's wife. Your nephew's mother. You dare dishonor me with your sinful behavior in the house of God! (She slaps him).

Prince Henry(clutching his cheek): I love you, Katherine, and I hoped you felt the same way.

Princess Katherine: Do not think me an empty headed fool who shall jump into your bed after a few sweet words. You want what you cannot have. And I assure you that you shall never have me. Not today, not tomorrow. Never. There is only room for two men in my heart. My husband, God rest his soul, and my son.

Prince Henry: Kat, please.

Princess Katherine(interrupts him): Remove yourself from my presence and pray I do not tell the Dowager Queen of your behavior for it would break her heart to learn her son is so dishonorable.

(The Duke of York turns on his heel and storms out of the chapel. Katherine returns to kneeling, a regal expression on her face).​

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

King Arthur was eight years old now and everyone insisted that he was turning into a perfect gentleman.

The new decade started with the co-regency of Prince Henry and Princess Dowager Katherine. It was not a perfect partnership. Prince Henry was in truth expecting to be the one in change, assuming Katherine would let him take the reigns. Katherine debased him of that notion pretty quickly. Prince Henry would often call her a perfect woman, so dignified and poised. He made it clear numerous times how he was attracted to the former princess of Spain. There were rumors that he once propositioned his brother's widow only to be told a very firm hell no.

Princess Katherine was not about to let anyone get in her way of taking care of her son and his kingdom. While she was sure that Margaret and Elizabeth had Arthur's best interests in mind, she could not say the same for Henry. And if she felt he made the wrong decision, she made sure to let him know it. She refused to allow him to put his favorites on her son's council and would get his mother involved if he tried to throw his weight around. While this angered the Duke of York, he could not stop admiring her. He would curse her in one breath but praise her in the next. "She is the most infatuating woman I have ever met and yet I wish to kiss the ground she walks on for it is sacred," he wrote in one letter.

One thing that Katherine and Henry did agree on with the war of the League of Cambrai. Pope Julius commanded a holy war against France. King Fernando,and Emperor Maximilian were already ready to go and England would join, signing the treaty of Westminster. King Philip chose to remain neutral as his daughter was soon to be married to the King of France's son. Instead he focused on continuing the expeditions in the New World.

Henry promised his wife that he would expand her inheritance to the Duchy of Auvergne. He was eager to prove his moniker the Lion of York, and immediately jumped at the chance to a general. Meanwhile, Princess Mary was sent to Denmark, to marry Prince Christian. She exchanged a tearful goodbye with her mother, siblings, and nephew. The flagship was named Mary Rose in her honor. Queen Juana birthed a daughter in 1512 who she named Catalina after her sister.

The Duke of York and the Earl of Lincoln met up with Fernando of Aragon in the Country of Auvergne. King Fernando wanted to use the English troops to invade Navarre before they expanded the borders of Auvergne. Henry refused, believing that his wife's lands would be France's prime target and unlike Calais, they did not have help from the English ships prowling the channel.

It led to a very heated argument that led to both men almost coming to blows. King Ferdinand returned to where his troops were fighting France in Italy while Henry had the English army to Montpellier as it was close to the coast. Charles, Duke of Bourbon raised ten thousand men to beat Henry, only to be crushed by the English army with the duke being captured.

King Ferdinand meanwhile sent the Duke of Alba to invade Navarre, knowing that Queen Catherine of Navarre would send troops to relive the defeated Duke of Bourbon.

Realizing he needed help distracting the English, King Louis reached out to King James of Scots, citing the Auld Alliance to convince him to attack England.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

At first King James IV had been reluctant to renew the alliance with France despite the urging of King Louis, wanting to remain neutral. However, his relations with England were beginning to become strained over the years. The fact that his sons Arthur and James [1] were third and fourth respectively in line for England's throne did not help matters nor did Parliament passing an act which called for him to be obedient to the King of England [2].

Even then the Scottish monarch offered no tangible help to France, only to renew the alliance. Unfortunately, neither the Dowager Princess nor the Duke of York saw it that way. The Archbishop of York [3] convinced Pope Julius to issue a ecclesiastical censure for the Scottish people. After Julius' death, King James tried to convince his successor, Pope Leo to countermand the interdict. Pope Leo did not and threatened King James with excommunication if he were to break the peace treaty.

King James was said to have muttered, "Which one?" before he declared war on England. Despite pleas from his heavily pregnant wife, the monarch had decided that he had no other alternative. He did send England notice a month in advance as he felt chivalry demanded it.

Upon receiving the warning, the Dowager Princess Katherine immediately ordered her son to be sent to Wales, put under the care of her late husband's childhood friend, Gruffydd. King Arthur now a boy of eleven refused to go, reminding his mother that John of Gaunt had been in battle at age ten. Katherine argued that John of Gaunt had only accompanied his older brother on a navel battle, he had done no fighting of his own. Arthur countered neither would she. He followed this by stating that he wanted his soldiers to know he was with them, not hiding in his castle like a coward. Katherine told him that was a lovely thought but he had years to defend his people. Right now they needed to see him safe and well. King Arthur reluctantly agreed.

Once her son was on his way to Wales, Katherine began to mobilize the army and buy the supplies needed while ordering Sir Thomas Lovell and the Duke of Norfolk to rise an army in the midlands. She had two banners made that displayed the royal arms of England and Spain.

Elizabeth of York temporarily came out of retirement to act as regent as Kathrine rode out, in full armor, to face the invading Scots. She would meet up with the Duke of Norfolk in Northumberland. She addressed the troops, telling them that while she was born in Spain, she had come to see England as her homeland and she would expel the invaders from her new home just as her parents had done for Granada. She reminded them of the last pretender who had dared mount an invasion and how he was swiftly dealt with. She finished by starting up a war cry: "For King Arthur!"

The battle of Flodden Field was a disaster for the Scots. First their artillery failed to work properly. Then when they were charging down Braxton Hill, they found the a marshy area at the foot of the hill. King James lost his balance [4], falling forward, nearly face first in the mud. He managed to get back up and rejoined his men. But by then, the English had already begun their slaughter. He was captured by Edmund Howard [5] and forced to surrender by the Duke of Norfolk who wryly commented that this time a duke did command a king, referencing an early barb King James had sent him when Norfolk had challenged him.

Katherine greeted the captured king when he was brought to her, noting she would be sure to send his bloodstained coat to her brother-in-law so he could use it as a banner as he ravaged the French's countryside. As his ancestor [6] had so many years ago, King James was sent to stay at the Tower of London. Edmund Howard was given the earldom of Hereford as a reward.

[1] Butterflies have flapped their wings and Prince Arthur, Duke of Rosthsay (b. 1508) lives longer.

[2] While I was doing my research of King James, I realized it was less him following the Auld Alliance and more him having a rivalry with King Henry.

[3] Christopher Bainbridge was the archbishop before Wolsey. He was King Henry's chaplain and a cardinal.

[4] Our first butterfly avoiding James' death.

[5] Kitty Howard's father, Thomas Howard the Elder's third son, and our second butterfly preventing King James' death.

[6] That would be King James I. He was imprisoned for eighteen years.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

In France, Prince Henry was carving a bloody path to Aquitaine, determined to regain his ancestral lands. His nickname the Lion of York was becoming wide spread. However during the early months of 1514, the prince realized that money was running out and with it the loyalty of his army. Then King Louis offered peace, he would acknowledge Prince Henry as the Duke of Auvergne Jure uxoris.

Henry decided to agree to King Louis' terms, feeling that he had gotten what he came for. Although he wanted more, it would have to be another time. Besides if he wanted to keep Auvergne, he needed an heir. He did however insist that he also be named Earl (Count) of Tourlose, not wanting his duchy to have enemies on all sides. It took a lot of negotiating but in the end King Louis agreed in exchange for the cities and towns in Aquitaine.

Katherine was not pleased when her brother-in-law returned home, feeling he had abandoned her father and overstepped his bounds by making a peace treaty with France without her agreement. It led to a heated argument with Katherine accusing Henry of deliberately giving up the Aquitaine because they would have gone to his nephew instead of himself. Henry clapped back that Katherine had let her father fleece them as he conquered Navarre and fought in Italy.

Elizabeth of York intervened, once again acting as mediator. She noted that England had gained much from the war but its funds were depleted. She did not want her grandson to have to deal with debt once he reached his majority. She also pointed out that King Louis had made peace with Emperor Maximilian and Pope Leo.

As reluctant as she was, Princess Katherine agreed to end hostilities with France. Instead she decided to focus on King James of Scots. The Scottish monarch was their hostage and had been for several months now. The regents of King Arthur discussed what was to be done with him. The ransom they had demanded was too much for Scotland to afford so Katherine suggested that they exchange King James for his son, Prince Arthur. He could be raised in England, nurturing a brotherly bound between the two Arthurs.

Queen Margaret was fresh from her confinement after birthing her fourth son, Prince Alexander in March. When she heard of England's demands, she collapsed. She then sent a letter to Princess Katherine, swearing to never forgive her if she took her son. "And how would you feel, Madam, had my father ripped your son from your bosun?" She wrote to her sister the now Queen Mary of Denmark that she wished that the boat carrying that Spanish wretch had sunk to the bottom of the sea.

King James did not like the idea anymore than his wife, but he felt he had to think of the welfare of Scotland before his family. He could not subject Scotland to a long regency when it would bring nothing but unrest and turmoil. Upon signing the Treaty of Whitehall in July, he said "God forgive me for I never shall." The Treaty of Whitehall stipulated that Treaty of Perpetual Peace was to be renewed every five years, King James would send amble compensation for breaking it, and that Prince Arthur would remain in England until his father's ransom could be paid and would get a bride of his cousin's choosing.

Two months after signing, the Scottish monarch was escorted to Northumberland where his wife and their son were waiting for him. Prince Arthur of Scotland was a boy of six and he clung to his mother, not wanting to go. King James kneeled down and told him to be brave and never forget, he was a Stewert, brave and bold. Margaret kissed her son's cheeks and told him that she would visit often, bringing little James and Alexander with her. Holding back tears, she told Arthur to go to his grandmother. Elizabeth of York gently took the boy into her arms, telling him she would never let any harm come to him.

Elizabeth of York insisted that until Prince Arthur was settled in he would remain with her at her manor. Princess Katherine and Prince Henry both argued that he should be sent to Eltham with King Arthur at once. Elizabeth merely repeated herself in a tone, as one courtier put it, that could chill a man to the bones and then promptly left to tuck her grandson in bed. She later remarked to Elizabeth Boleyn, "I could not protect my brothers so I shall do everything I can for my grandsons."

The two Arthurs met at Christmastide at Greenwich. King Arthur, proving he was his father's son, was quick to put his younger cousin at ease, asking him about what he liked to do, what were his favorite foods, did he think London should be renamed Camelot. This drew the prince out of his shell a bit and he even accepted the nickname Roth that the young king came up with.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

The Duchess of York screamed as it felt as though she was being ripped in two.

"Be brave, my lady, be brave," her maid whispered in her ear. "You are almost there. Just a little more. "

Anne screamed again as she pushed as hard as she could. She laid back on the pillow, her brow damp with sweat. Seconds latter she heard a slap and then an indigent cry. A tired smile spread across her face. "What is it?"

"A healthy girl, Your Grace," the midwife announced.

Horror fell over Anne like a wet blanket, extinguishing her joy. A girl? Henry wanted a boy. Not just because he and his nephew were the only males of the Tudor line, but also to confirm himself as the Duke of Auvergne. It was perhaps the only reason he came to her bed. Not out of love, but duty., To him, she was a plain and boring mouse, unworthy o be his wife.

The Spanish witch will be rejoicing, Anne thought bitterly, closing her eyes to keep the tears at bay. She would be so pleased to know that there would not be a second rival to her son. The Lord knew that Catherine of Aragon was an ambitious coldhearted woman. She refused to allow Henry his rightful position as Lord Protector. Henry had to fight for scraps of power and yet somehow he was oh so beholdened to the wretched woman, following after her like a puppy.

Her brooding was interrupted when the doors flew open and her husband burst in. "Where is he? Where is my son!"

The midwife had just finished cleaning the baby up, swaddling her in a blanket before she was presented to her father. Anne kept her eyes shut as she heard the midwife repeat her announcemt. She expected to hear boots stomping on the floor as the door slammed shut. Or perhaps he would rebuke her now, for failing to produce the boy he craved. Instead she heard a booming laugh.

"Ah, a lionness then," Henry declared, his tone still jovial.

Anne blinked, turning her head to look at her husband. She witneesed him pluck their daughter from the midwife's arms and stroll over to the bed. She sat up as she approuched, tears freely spilling down her cheeks. Her heart swelled when her husband smiled at her, a look of pure adoration she had only seen on his face when she told him she was pregnant. Oh to see such love in his blue eyes was a gift.

"Our daughter is perfect, Anne," Henry praised. "Let us call her Mary after my sister."

"A wonderful name," Anne agreed, relief overflowing her. She glanced down at her daughter, her Mary and suddenly shame washed over her. Her mother would never have wasted so much time thanking of her father's reaction when she birthed two girls. Instead she would have demanded her daughter be placed in her arms to love and adore. "She is lovely. Our sweet little cherb."

"The king will be most pleased to hear of his niece and I know my mother will be thrilled to finally have a granddaughter," Henry told her. "She will have another grandson later of course, but for now, our sweet Mary shall do."

Anne did not miss the meaning behind his words. Henry wanted a son. Only then would he be hers fully, forgetting his obession with the Spanish princess.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

After the War of the League of Cambrai, there was a tentative peace throughout Europe. It would not last long.

In 1515, King Louis XII died of gout, leaving his twelve-year-old son as king, Almost immediately, his regent and heir, Duke Francois made sure to consolidate his power by affirming his wife's rights as Duchess of Brittany. He wrote to King James, suggesting a match with Prince Arthur and his sister-in-law, Princess Renee. He then petitioned for the marriage betrothal between the new King Louis XIII and Eleanor of Austria to be annulled. Rumors swirled that he wanted the new king to marry Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne so France could reclaim the lands taken by the Lion of York.

King Philip of Castile and Duke Henry were equally appalled by the overreach of the French regent, both promising retribution if he continued with his plan. Tensions continued to boil over the months especially when the Duchess of York announced her pregnancy. Henry was overjoyed, pleased that he would soon have a son. Meanwhile as he sought another bridegroom for his eldest daughter, King Philip, alongside Emperor Maximilian, arranged a double wedding between his eldest son Charles and Anne of Hungary and Bohemia alongside his daughter Maria and Crown Prince Louis of Hungary and Bohemia.

It was during this time that Eleanor became acquainted with Count Fredrick, the fourth son of the Elector Palatine. It was said that the young count comforted the infanta over France's plot to break her betrothal. Rumors swirled around them, although King Philip had them both swear publicly that nothing untowed had happened between them. He sent Eleanor to Burgundy where she would be watched by her paternal aunt, Margaret who had some great sympathy for her niece, having gone through a similar situation with the late King Charles VIII.

Meanwhile, Katherine did not give a fig who the King of France married (although she was outraged on her niece's behalf), instead she focused on someone far more important, the marriage between Arthur and Isabel of Portugal. While a wedding of proxy would happen once Arthur turned sixteen, Isabel would not come to England until Arthur was eighteen. Katherine arranged for Margaret Pole to act as Isabel's duenna, wanting her to be prepared for the English court.

A year after the death of his French rival, King Fernando passed away. Neither Philip nor Juana mourned for him, instead riding to Aragon immediately to ensure that no one tried to take the crown from them. While popular fiction has Philip and Juana being joyous at the death of the overbearing Fernando, in truth they acted quite somber, treating their hasty movements such as removing Fernando's favorites from office as a grim necessity. They declared their son, Charles, as Prince of Asturias and Girona. Wanting to ensure that they kept their treaty with Portugal, they offered their second daughter, Infanta Isabel for the Crown Prince John.

For months, Duke Henry was crowing to everyone would could hear him that he would soon have a bouncing baby boy. He even debated what he would name his son, Arthur, Henry or Edward. But in February of 1516, Duchess Anne birthed a healthy girl. Thankfully, despite being thrown, Henry was overjoyed at having a daughter, proclaiming she would be named after his favorite sister, who was due to birth her first child in March. Henry and Anne were absolutely smitten with their daughter, but Henry was adament that the only way to safeguard his lands from the French was to have a son. He also feared what might happen should King Arthur be unable to conceive.

Shockingly he mentioned this to the Dowager Princess Katherine. Even more shockingly she did not take offense. Although Katherine was certain her son would have plenty of healthy children with Infanta Isabel, she knew that Arthur could die prematurely like his father. For the first time in years, Katherine and Henry were on the same page and drew up an act of succession. It would go from Arthur, his issue, Henry, his issue, and then Margaret, her Scottish children and lastly Mary and her children.

Margaret of course fumed that her son was placed behind Henry's daughter, wondering if there was anything her brother and her sister-in-law would not do to insult her family. She wrote to her mother, begging her to intervene on her grandson's behalf. Elizabeth of York wrote back a sharp letter that she would not speculate on matters that would only come about if a great tragedy happened.

Queen Mary of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden had really no opinion of such matters, instead focusing on being a new mother to her son, Prince Hans. She did however write to the two Arthurs, consoling them to allow the adult's petty squabbles affect them.

Meanwhile in France, after a year of negotiations, Duke Francois finally came to an agreement with Pope Leo with the Concordat of Bologna. Part of the agreement was the annulment of the betrothal between King Louis and Infanta Eleanor. No sooner had he accomplished that, did Francois announce the future marriage of Louis and Madeleine de La Tour d'Auvergne.

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

King Philip was of course outraged by the snub of his daughter. He swore up and down that he would make no more treaties with the French for this was the second time they dared throw away a worthy Hapsburg princess. But Philip did not dwell on the insult for long, feeling he had much more important matters to attend to. His father's health was declining which meant there would be a new emperor by the next decade.

Philip had been spending the better part of the year traveling from Madrid to Sicily to Antwerp and to Vienna. In a letter to his sister, he noted he already felt as if he was being pulled in four different directions and he wasn't even emperor yet. "My only comfort is knowing that Castile and Aragon are in capable hands. Once she was the bane of my existence and now she is my rock."

Although Juana remained in Spain, unwilling to give anyone a chance to usurp her power, she and Philip exchanged hundreds of letters. Their conversations ranged from cursing the French regent's name, praising their clever sisters, lamenting finding a husband for their eldest daughter, and their inheritances. It was during one of their correspondences that they discussed splitting their inheritance between their three sons. While Charles would obviously gain Spain, his youngest brother John would become the Duke of Burgundy. Their middle son, Ferdinand, would be made Viceroy of Sicily and Naples, and possibly be Philip's successor as Holy Roman Emperor.

Meanwhile, Duke Henry was hungry for more war, suspecting rightfully that the minute Louis and Madeline were wed, her claim to Duchy of Auvergne would be pressed. The fact that Anne was the elder sister would not matter to men like Duke Francois, not when it meant leaving lands in England's hands. Henry had the Earl of Lincoln acting as his regent and sent him money to fortify his lands and pay for merecinaries to protect them from a French attack.

Tensions in the English court were raising high. King Arthur was inching closer to his eigteenth birthday and was getting a little tired of not being able to rule in his own right. He even tried to convince his mother to step down as regent, declaring him ready to rule. When Katherine insisted that they follow his grandfather's will, he grew annoyed and accused her of being power hungary. Duke Henry, who argued with Katherine almost every day, was inceased and gave his nephew a tongue lashing, demanding he show more respect to the woman who fought tooth and nail to keep his throne safe.

Elizabeth sent a letter, suggesting that while Katherine and Henry continued to act as regents, Arthur could have a seat on the council. Henry and Katherine decided to create a new position called Lord President of the Privy council for him. Arthur accepted the postion with grace and reconciled with his mother who admitted she didn't want to burden him, still seeing him as the baby in her arms, small and vulnerable. "I've grown since then, Mother," Arthur was said to have replied. "I'm taller than Uncle Henry now." The Duke of York's glower was said to be almost leathal.

Just when things calmed down, Katherine's lady, Bessie Blount approuched her mistress with scandelous news: She was pregant with the king's baby. Katherine was furious, she approuched her son in a fury, asking him what he had been thinking. This also led to an argument between Henry and Arthur, as he had been courting Bess Blount in hopes of making her his mistress. She had not been receptive of his advances: learning this was because his nephew had gotten to her first was a blow to his ego.

Arthur reminded his mother that he was not a boy anymore and she needed to stop treating him like one. To his uncle, he very cooly reminded him that perhaps he should be more focused on his pregnant wife. As for Bessie, Arthur arranged for her to marry one of his grooms, promising to pay for the child's upbringing. He then wrote a very apolegetic letter to Portugal.

In 1519, Europe dissolved into chaos. Emperor Maximilian died and King Louis married Madeline de la Tour. Soon afterwards, Duke Francois and King Henri Navarre declared war, looking to reconquer their lost lands. Before Henry could rush off to war, his wife gave birth to their second child, another daugher. Henry was noticibly less excited about than he was about Mary. He declared that she would be named Catherine after the queen consort England should have had (whose queen she should have been, he did not specifiy).

 

[Violet Rose Lily]

"You are a vision of loveliness," Margaret Pole proclaimed. She smiled brightly at the young girl. She had spent the last five years in Portugal, getting the Portuguese Infanta ready for her role as English queen. She had sent regular reports to the Dowager Princess and the Dowager queen of her character and progress. Now like her aunt before her, Isabel had arrived at Dogmersfield, getting ready to start her new life.

Isabel beamed at the compliment. Her brown hair had been tied up behind her garble hood, she wore a sapphire encrusted necklace that matched her eyes. She was garbed in a dark green brocade dress, crafted by the most talented English seamstress. "Do you think the king will like me?" she wondered, inspecting her appearance in the mirror.

"He would be a fool not to," Leonor de Mascarenha remarked, taking care to speak in Portuguese. She glanced suspiciously at the English ladies, not trusting that one might report back their words. The English ladies had been waiting for Isabel when she arrived. They were Katherine Edgcumbe, Elizabeth Chamber, Anne Boleyn, Margaret Horseman, and Madge Stanley. They all treated with nothing but respect. However, until she could be sure that they could be trusted, Isabel's close circle would contain the ladies who sailed over from Portugal with her: Leonor, Elvira de Mendoza, and the Countess of Salisbury.

"Do we know if he is coming here?" Isabel inquired, ignoring Leonor's comment. She knew that Prince Arthur had come to see his bride almost twenty years ago. According to Margaret, it had been love at first sight for them both. Alas, the ember of their romance was cruelty distinguished by the hand of fate before it had truly begun to burn. Isabel prayed history would not repeat.

"There have been no messages from London." Margaret frowned for a moment before quickly smiling again. "Perhaps he is hoping to surprise you."

Before her charge could respond, there was a knock on the door. Isabel nodded to Lady Edgcumbe who was closest. She went over and opened the door. A man wearing the livery of York and Auvergne was standing outside. He bowed lowly, waiting for Isabel to give him leave before he spoke, "Your Majesty, the Duke of York and Auvergne is without. He requests an audience."

Isabel was taken aback. The last she heard, the Duke of York and Auvergne was in France, fighting against the forces of the Duke of Angoulême. Perhaps he had returned for his nephew's wedding. Although she was disappointment it was not her bridegroom, she nodded her ascent.

The Duke of York was everything she had heard. He strode in with an air of importance. He was tall and muscular. His red-gold hair was like a lion's mane. He had a neatly trimmed beard. He had almost a boyish charm about him. He looked much younger than she had expected.

Isabel did not blame her ladies for staring at him with wide eyes, some of them biting their lips as they curtsied lowly. One of them placed her hand over her mouth as if attempting to muffle a giggle. The duke didn't seem to notice them as he strode up to Isabel, dropping down to one knee. "My queen, your portrait does not do your beauty justice." He took her hand and laid a kiss on the back of it.

The Portuguese princess struggled to maintain a serene mask, hoping she was not blushing. She let her hand slip out of his grasp as he rose to his feet. "Your Grace is very kind to say so. I hope you forgive me for saying so, Your Grace, but we weren't expecting you. We thought you were in France."

"What kind of cad would I be, if I missed my own nephew's wedding because of my overblown ego?" he inquired, a slight sardonic edge to his tone.

Isabel raised an eyebrow. That seemed a bit pointed. She had heard of the arguments between her aunt and Duke Henry. Perhaps he was parroting her words.

Henry must have seen her perplexed expression for her chuckled awkwardly. "Just a jest, my queen. I hope you will forgive my nephew. He is busy preparing plans for his progress."

"Oh." Isabel felt her heart sink. She understood that King Arthur planned on taking a long progress, wanting to see more of his kingdom and also to use it as a chance to familiarize them both with their subjects. However, she had hoped that meeting her would be more important to him.

Arthur was a conundrum. His letters were always kind and considerate. He was so very honest and genuine, even during times she had really wished he hadn't been. (Did he think she would thank him for telling her he had conceived a son out of wedlock so she didn't hear it from rumors). But at the same time, his writings always seemed impersonal as if they were not to be man and wife, but merely two strangers who happened to be married. Granted that was what they were, but Isabel hoped it would blossom into a a partnership if not a romance.

"He will of course be here as soon as he can," Henry quickly added, clearly realizing he had upset her. "I assure you that he has been waiting for this day for a long time."

"I suppose I can wait a little longer," Isabel decided, put at ease. "After all, we have a lifetime to get to know each other."

Henry's smile threatened to slip his face. "Precisely, my queen. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the king, do not hesitate to ask."

"Of course, you could just ask him yourself." Out of nowhere, Katherine of Aragon materialized in the doorway, looking unimpressed. "I'm sure he would be most willing to be honest and open with you."

"Mother, you look absolutely stunning," "the Duke of York" greeted her with a sheepish smile like a child caught stealing sweets.