La Reina Loca: A Juana I of Castile Timeline
- Thread starter pandizzy
- Start date
But Juana is older than Maria and could give him an heir right away so it makes sense for him to pick Juana.
Only by a year and Maria also would have been able to give him an heir right away OTL… True who with Isabella not remarrying Juana would be the next-in-line while Maria had Juana between her and Isabella in the succession
I think it's a lot easier to be obstinate and stubborn when you're a grown woman like Isabel Jr is. Juana is 16, María is 13 and Catalina is 10. They're still either exiting childhood (Juana and Maria) or right in the middle of it (Catalina).
Maria is from June 1482. Juana is from november 1479. That's almost three years.
March 1496.
Alcochete, Portugal. March 1496.
The man entered his chambers quietly, bowing deeply. Manuel smiled openly at the sight of his ambassador, who had recently arrived from the Castilian court. Francisco de Eça was a clever and dutiful man, who was sure to have gained great success in his endeavours.
“My dear Francisco,” said Manuel. “How did the Catholic Monarchs treat you?”
“They have treated me well, Your Highness,” said Francisco. “But it’s good to be home.” Dom Manuel noticed that he carried a great deal of papers in his hands. Documents to be sure, contracts as well. All things detailing the agreement he had just sealed with their neighbours.
“Well, Portugal is glad to have you.” Manuel extended his hand to take the papers and Eleanor, his sister, moved away from the window, where she was watching a wedding procession in the city. Manuel looked at the first paper rather distractedly, not really thinking much. “So, how long must I wait until I have my bride with me?”
But Francisco grew pale as Manuel continued to read his reports, a tense set growing in his back. “My lord,” he heard the ambassador say. “The Dowager Princess had some reservations over the proposed marriage.”
Reservations? Manuel looked at his sister, who was frowning, then back at his ambassador. What he had in hand was more than simple reservations.
“Dom Francisco, are these the demands made by Isabel of Aragon and approved of by the Catholic Monarchs?” he asked, incredulously reading over the letter to confirm its validity.
“Unfortunately, such are the demands of the Princess Isabel to give her consent to marrying Your Grace,” Francisco de Eça spoke reluctantly, wringing his hands together as Manuel sat back to consider the request. “The Princess will only accept to wed you if the Jews living in our great land are expelled.”
Portugal had gained much in accepting the Jewish Castilians and Aragonese banished by the Catholic monarchs. The country had been enriched by their presence and the gracious refugees had consented to increased taxation in return for peace and the ability to practise their faith in private. To demand conversion or expel them outright wouldn’t serve his interests whatsoever.
And to have demands leveraged upon him by his future bride did not bode well.
“This demand… is it only the Princess Isabel making it? Surely the King and Queen can convince her to put aside this demand and accept the gracious offer I have made?” he asked. Manuel could see the sweat beading down the ambassador’s forehead.
“I’m afraid it is non-negotiable for the hand of the Princess. Either conversion or expulsion, and the Queen has given her express approval to these terms.” Francisco shook his head gravely and Manuel wanted nothing more than to send the fool away and be done with the matter.
“Who does she think she is?” Eleanor asked behind him. “To make demands of us? She ought to be grateful to be even considered.”
Manuel looked at her. “Be careful how you speak of her,” he said. “You once thought of her as your own daughter.”
“What of the Catholic Monarchs’ other daughters?” Eleanor interjected, and Manuel turned to his sister with an arched brow, considering her words for a moment.
He turned to Francisco with a frown. “Leave us. I will summon you when I have considered these terms the monarchs send to me.”
He turned to his sister as the man left, the Dowager Queen smiling graciously as she took the man’s place across from him. “If Princess Isabel is the only one issuing such a demand, then would it not be wise to marry a younger sister of hers? Such a girl would be younger and able to give you more sons, dear brother. And she would be more moldable. More influenciable to perform to your desires.”
“You are certainly right.” Manuel paused for a moment, a frown forming on his lips. “A younger daughter would demand a smaller dowry. Isabel is the eldest and can be expected to bring much to the royal coffers.”
“Money can easily be saved in the taxation of the Portuguese Jews. Should they convert, you will be unable to tax them as Catholics. And should they leave, they will take their wealth with them and we shall lose valuable men,” Eleanor argued, neatly tying the issue. “And I must confess to some… reservations about the Princess.”
Manuel sat up straighter, looking at his sister with a serious expression. She had once been the Princess’ mother in the eyes of God, and he trusted her to know more of the Princess then himself, and to speak more candidly than Francisco. Manuel had only seen Isabel a handful of times. He had been the one to greet her when she arrived from Castile to wed his nephew and he was present at the wedding, but after the celebrations were over, he returned to his own lands.
“When my beloved son was called to God’s right hand, the Princess was consumed by grief. She could not eat or sleep, which could be expected of a young widow who loved her husband.” Eleanor paused, pulling her sleeves down and looking away, as if forcing herself to recall something unpleasant. “But then she began engaging in… upsetting behaviours. Her piety had been commendable before, but she blamed herself for his death. She starved herself of food and water, had herself scourged for any perceived sin, however mild.”
Manuel’s stomach coiled at his sister’s words. They did nothing to soothe the growing unease he had begun to feel towards the match. To hear his prospective bride described as such a fanatical woman, he almost would’ve preferred to hear that she was a consummate whore, for at least he could have her guarded and monitored to safeguard the legitimacy of his children.
“Even my husband feared for her,” Eleanor continued. “He moved her bed to his rooms, so as to be sure that she would not cause harm to her body or life and had her watched at every moment.”
That gave him cause to hesitate. King John had been a scourge upon their land and to know that even he acted in fear and worry for this woman’s life was certainly an argument against her.
“But she knows our language,” Manuel continued. “She knows our culture.”
“Any foreign bride would have to learn them,” Eleanor pointed out. “Such a fact is not detrimental to the Infanta’s cause.”
Manuel looked back at the papers before him.
“The Infanta Juana has all the benefits of her sister without her erratic nature. She is bound to be clever and well-educated, a capable and respectable consort to have at your side.” She looked at him, her gaze measured and a wry smile on her lips. “And even my ladies and I hear tales of her beauty. I would think her to be the fairest of the Catholic Monarchs’ daughters if the gossip is to be believed.”
“She is only sixteen,” Manuel thought out loud and Eleanor placed a hand over his shoulder. He was twenty-six. An entire decade older than the Infanta, whereas her older sister was only a year younger than him.
“Men older than you have married girls in the flower of youth, dear brother,” said Eleanor. “You are still young yourself. Ten years is so little a difference in the span of a life. And a young queen may be just what you need. Let your young bride keep a merry glittering court for your people.”
“I shall consider it then,” said Manuel. But he thought of Isabel. The eldest daughter of the Catholic Monarchs, with only a sickly brother to inherit ahead of her. Could he give up such an opportunity in the name of the Jews? Or was Portugal destined to have a mad queen?
If Isabel do not remarry and Juan died without heirs then Juana‘s children would eventually inherit Castile and Aragon as he should know considering who he named the son of his second sister as heir presumptive.
I wonder what event made Manuel change his mind from irl? Also how much of Juanna’s temperament was just a reaction to abuse and how much were genuine problem?
There is, to Manuel, always the possibility that Isabel may be forced to remarry by her parents.
If she is not married to him as she should have is unlikely who she will remarry elsewhere. Plus was likely well know who Isabel wanted only take the vows
There seems to have been at least something problematic about her mentally. She was ill treated by those she loved, but her reaction to Philip’s death and afterwards does seem to be quite out of the ordinary to me
The fact that his future bride is making demands of him already + the unflattering reports he received from her once mother-in-law? Also the fact that even King John, whom he detests, moved to act to save Isabel from commiting suicide lets him know how dangerous her mental health is.
Except well, this story is my attempt at, unfortunately, writing a mad queen after my small attempt with Infanta Isabel in An Imperial Match. The only problem is that Manuel doesn't know that Juana is a 10000000% more intense and dramatic than her older sister.
Isabel was the worst between them… Juana was more manageable than her elder sister in my opinion…
Yep. Amazing chapter as always! And Juana is ever closer to getting her Rockstar (cue her teeneage squees)
Wasn’t that also a concern irl? Sorry if I am being annoying.
What, that Juana is crazier? They don't know. Juana hasn't really shown her discord energy yet.