~BHM, Romance, Historical Fiction - This story is not true to any particular era, century or ruler, but one may assume it takes place in the early modern era of monarchy-driven European empires.
Part One
Your Majesty must find a suitable match to secure your throne, the aged Cardinal implored the young King.
Edward glared back at him with steely eyes.
You think I dont know this? he shouted back with all the force of his stout body. He turned and stomped heavily across the room.
It has not been a simple task. There are very few worthy prospects becoming our fair country, he countered. He grew tired of the constant pressure on making a marriage.
Your Majesty, please, let me make more inquiries to Denmark. Either of the Princesses would make a fine match and bring you closer to France, the Cardinal reasoned.
Edward had heard much of the Danish Princesses before. Renowned for their beauty and talents, they possessed all of the qualities that a prince desires, most importantly a large dowry and an advantageous alliance.
Their father was King Wilhelm of Denmark, one of the wealthiest kings in Europe. He inherited a generous fortune and cultivated it further through judicious management of his countrys treasury. More importantly, he was adept at developing alliances rather than engaging in costly wars.
Wilhelms wife, Queen Madeleine, was the older sister of King Louis of France. She was close to her brother and had a good amount of influence of opinion in his affairs. As such, Denmark had a permanently strong alliance with the French.
In addition to their advantageous association, the two Danish Princesses were highly sought after by many European rulers for their faultless reputations. King Phillip of Spain was a front runner in Wilhelms strategy for Denmark, as he hoped to secure the elder Princess Isabelle, who was not yet twenty, for his son Alfonse, the heir to his Empire.
King Albert, the widowed monarch in Prussia, was also aggressively pursuing a new marital alliance and wanted either girl for himself. At 51, he was aged, but had very favorable ties with the Holy Roman Empire.
Another monarch, Peter, the Tsar of the Russian Empire, was widely known to be young, athletic and ruthlessly handsome. Many thought that either girl would surely have already become his wife, but he was too preoccupied with war and consolidation of lands to actively engage in the politics of marriage.
However, the Tsar had heard that the younger Princess Christina, nearly eighteen, was an exceptional beauty, with no equal on the Continent, so he stationed an ambassador in Denmark to maintain his stake in the matter of securing a mate of fine form and figure.
Cardinal Neville knew his competition for a suitable match for His Majesty in England was fierce, and was gravely concerned over his masters liabilities. Edwards father had squandered the royal chest on a war with France that lingered for seven years, with tensions still existing between the two countries. Religious dissent continued to simmer widely in the kingdom, and his fathers enemies were now Edwards own. Having a male heir would go a long way to prevent a treasonous insurrection and lay many concerns to rest.
But the Cardinals silent worry for Edwards prospects was in regards to His Majestys growing corpulence. He had already reached eighteen stone when he was crowned king at the tender age of seventeen. Yet his weight ballooned to more extraordinary proportions in recent years.
Edward was a chubby prince from an early age, but had always been active and sporting. His towering height, burly body and brute strength intimidated opponents on the jousting field and the fencing court. He was considered the most attractive of his fathers sons, but there were always whispers about his tendency toward roundness.
Upon assuming the throne, his sporting activities declined as he spent his days and nights concerned with matters of the state. He found culinary indulgence to be his only satisfaction, and eagerly partook in its delights. In the five years since his royal coronation, he had gained a full ten stone.
Certainly any match could be made with the right contract and agreeable parties, but a strong willed or manipulative daughter could undoubtedly thwart the most prudent of marriage contracts. The Cardinal felt Edwards obesity didnt make his quest to secure a mate any easier. His fatness became well known in chatter among the nobility at home and abroad, and Edwards Privy Council didnt appreciate their sovereign being on the receiving end of mockery
Edward was well aware of his challenges, but fears of his temper and desire for his good will hushed most talk of his enormous meals, the reinforcements made to his bed and frequent visits from the royal tailor. He was, for the most part, a benevolent ruler who loved his people, but was willing to use his command to crush an adversary if needed.
Still, the young King had assets, his greatest being his intellect. He mastered many scholarly subjects at a very young age, and spoke several languages exceedingly well. And he well understood the complexities of governing state and trade interests. By all accounts, he was a good king, save his precarious current political situation.
Part Two
Father, please let us meet them before you make any contracts. What if they are horrible or deformed? cried Isabelle. As the eldest of the two princesses, she would be the first of the two girls to marry and saw her future approaching quickly.
King Wilhelm had played the Princess hands from the time of their infancy. He used the high demand for their betrothal to his advantage, forging alliances with the most powerful monarchs in Europe. But he knew his time was running out, and they were of highest value to him right now, lest they become too old.
Nonsense, declared the King, as the family dined together during their summer stay at Frederiksborg Palace. This is a matter of securing our realm. I will not be influenced by the tender hearts of two foolish girls.
Christina sulked. She did not consider herself foolish and maintained a keen interest in the complex matters of state.
The Queen was adamantly against a match with the French royal family, as she didnt wish either of her daughters into an incestuous marriage with her nephews. Moreover, a French alliance was already secure by her established relations there.
Spain, Prussia or Russia, Father? Are these our suitors? Isabelle asked aloud.
What about England? Christina interjected. She loved to hear any talk she could about good King Edward.
The Rotund Regent? Isabelle snickered.
Queen Madeleine joined in, They say he has a bed that fills his whole chamber.
And theres not a scale in the land that can measure his mass! Isabelle giggled more. Christina felt her cheeks becoming warm.
Enough! shouted Wilhelm. Ill not have my family risk their necks speaking ill of our ally across the North Sea.
Oh, Father, everyone knows that the King of England is fat! Isabelle protested.
We have a good friendship with the English ambassador, the Queen reminded the two Princesses. Let Our Majestys future successes be your guide in your word and conduct.
I for one would very much like to meet the King of England, Christina reasoned.
I understand him to be a good and wise ruler, she offered, then pausing.
Of course, not nearly as good and wise as you, Your Majesty, she flattered her father.
Christina was her fathers favourite. She was the more diplomatic and clever of the two princesses, and exhibited an appreciation for the intrigue of politics. She understood that knowledge and cunning were the true currency of power. She hoped that the man she married would be an able leader she could respect and admire.
Isabelle, on the other hand, had the gift of the arts to recommend her. Music and painting were her passions. She cared little for politics and the burden of power. She conceded to romantic notions of love, despite her fathers wish to the contrary.
A month passed before Christina overheard her father and his council speaking to the Spanish ambassador, working out the final details of her sisters pending marriage to Prince Alfonse. It was certainly no surprise to anyone, as it was widely speculated for years that she would go to Spain.
Isabelle was now joyous with the idea of embarking on a new journey to womanhood. She committed to her duty to Spain as a member of the Danish royal family, and prepared for her voyage. Christina cried for days, knowing she would miss her sister. They may have had their differences, but they shared a unique experience as royalty, knowing the pressure of interminable scrutiny on appearances, interests and conduct.
Please write all the time, Christina cried on her shoulder, I shall never be as happy as when I get your letters.
Isabelle stroked her younger sisters hair, I will write, but you must too, she reassured her.
Now you have your pick of Prussia, Russia or England, she giggled.
The old man, the cold man or the fat man, she joked about the respective monarchs.
Christina wished she could delay it all and just be a princess and not a queen, but her destiny awaited her. Still, her father held her close for a few more months, wishing to prolong the machinations of parlaying her marriageable status into alliance gold.
The younger Princess, without her dear sister to keep her company, threw herself into physical activities like dancing lessons and riding. She deepened her love of English poetry and literature and dreamt of visiting England to meet good King Edward. She also continued to take an interest in eavesdropping on her fathers meetings, absorbing every bit of sovereign intrigue.
During these months of waiting, the young Princess entertained several conversations with the English ambassador in Denmark, Sir Jon Norris, about King Edward. The more she learnt about his person, the more she grew to admire him. He told her of the Kings virtues as a kind and generous man as well as an erudite student of literature and the arts.
Christina would try to find ways to inquire about his true size, but the Ambassador eluded any discussion of the Kings rotundity. He feared upsetting her with descriptions of the way King Edwards rolls of fat protruded in his silken shirts; or that his golden doublets were constantly reworked to manage his burgeoning middle; or how he filled his breeches with his hanging belly and ample thighs. These were not bodily details he could share with a fair and delicate maiden like Princess Christina. He merely alluded to King Edwards commanding strength and great presence.
Weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday, King Wilhelm felt the pressure to finalize Christinas marital fate. The German duchies were again embroiled in violent religious controversies and civil war. Christinas future no longer appeared secure in Prussia. King Wilhelm was down to a choice between Russia and England for his youngest daughters hand.
Christina knew she preferred England. It was closer to home and she spoke English very well. But most importantly, she wanted so much to meet this grand King she had heard about for so many years. Talk of his great size and greater mind made her feel flutters inside of her corset like no other thing she had ever felt.
However, she knew that her father would never listen to her request if she discussed it from her heart, so she met him on the issue at his level. Your Majesty, you know I submit fully to your will and opinion, and I do unreservedly want to be a worthy vessel for your Kingdom in the world. Im just afraid that Russia, however desirable of a match for me the Tzar may be, doesnt have the stability and sensible aspirations that England possesses.
Dear Christina, he chuckled, youve been listening in on my affairs again, havent you.
Yes, Father, she sighed. I truly want whats best for you and our people. If it means marrying a stout English king, she masked her true desires, I am willing to make the sacrifice.
He had already made the decision to send her to England to meet King Edward and have the contract finalized, but he was fond of her precocious nature and humored her fresh wisdom. In your youth you have much courage and foresight. You may well be right. I will discuss preparations with Sir Jon.
Christina was elated. She was finally going to meet her King. She wrote a letter to her sister in Spain:
Her Majesty
by Ashblonde
by Ashblonde
Part One
Your Majesty must find a suitable match to secure your throne, the aged Cardinal implored the young King.
Edward glared back at him with steely eyes.
You think I dont know this? he shouted back with all the force of his stout body. He turned and stomped heavily across the room.
It has not been a simple task. There are very few worthy prospects becoming our fair country, he countered. He grew tired of the constant pressure on making a marriage.
Your Majesty, please, let me make more inquiries to Denmark. Either of the Princesses would make a fine match and bring you closer to France, the Cardinal reasoned.
Edward had heard much of the Danish Princesses before. Renowned for their beauty and talents, they possessed all of the qualities that a prince desires, most importantly a large dowry and an advantageous alliance.
Their father was King Wilhelm of Denmark, one of the wealthiest kings in Europe. He inherited a generous fortune and cultivated it further through judicious management of his countrys treasury. More importantly, he was adept at developing alliances rather than engaging in costly wars.
Wilhelms wife, Queen Madeleine, was the older sister of King Louis of France. She was close to her brother and had a good amount of influence of opinion in his affairs. As such, Denmark had a permanently strong alliance with the French.
In addition to their advantageous association, the two Danish Princesses were highly sought after by many European rulers for their faultless reputations. King Phillip of Spain was a front runner in Wilhelms strategy for Denmark, as he hoped to secure the elder Princess Isabelle, who was not yet twenty, for his son Alfonse, the heir to his Empire.
King Albert, the widowed monarch in Prussia, was also aggressively pursuing a new marital alliance and wanted either girl for himself. At 51, he was aged, but had very favorable ties with the Holy Roman Empire.
Another monarch, Peter, the Tsar of the Russian Empire, was widely known to be young, athletic and ruthlessly handsome. Many thought that either girl would surely have already become his wife, but he was too preoccupied with war and consolidation of lands to actively engage in the politics of marriage.
However, the Tsar had heard that the younger Princess Christina, nearly eighteen, was an exceptional beauty, with no equal on the Continent, so he stationed an ambassador in Denmark to maintain his stake in the matter of securing a mate of fine form and figure.
Cardinal Neville knew his competition for a suitable match for His Majesty in England was fierce, and was gravely concerned over his masters liabilities. Edwards father had squandered the royal chest on a war with France that lingered for seven years, with tensions still existing between the two countries. Religious dissent continued to simmer widely in the kingdom, and his fathers enemies were now Edwards own. Having a male heir would go a long way to prevent a treasonous insurrection and lay many concerns to rest.
But the Cardinals silent worry for Edwards prospects was in regards to His Majestys growing corpulence. He had already reached eighteen stone when he was crowned king at the tender age of seventeen. Yet his weight ballooned to more extraordinary proportions in recent years.
Edward was a chubby prince from an early age, but had always been active and sporting. His towering height, burly body and brute strength intimidated opponents on the jousting field and the fencing court. He was considered the most attractive of his fathers sons, but there were always whispers about his tendency toward roundness.
Upon assuming the throne, his sporting activities declined as he spent his days and nights concerned with matters of the state. He found culinary indulgence to be his only satisfaction, and eagerly partook in its delights. In the five years since his royal coronation, he had gained a full ten stone.
Certainly any match could be made with the right contract and agreeable parties, but a strong willed or manipulative daughter could undoubtedly thwart the most prudent of marriage contracts. The Cardinal felt Edwards obesity didnt make his quest to secure a mate any easier. His fatness became well known in chatter among the nobility at home and abroad, and Edwards Privy Council didnt appreciate their sovereign being on the receiving end of mockery
Edward was well aware of his challenges, but fears of his temper and desire for his good will hushed most talk of his enormous meals, the reinforcements made to his bed and frequent visits from the royal tailor. He was, for the most part, a benevolent ruler who loved his people, but was willing to use his command to crush an adversary if needed.
Still, the young King had assets, his greatest being his intellect. He mastered many scholarly subjects at a very young age, and spoke several languages exceedingly well. And he well understood the complexities of governing state and trade interests. By all accounts, he was a good king, save his precarious current political situation.
Part Two
Father, please let us meet them before you make any contracts. What if they are horrible or deformed? cried Isabelle. As the eldest of the two princesses, she would be the first of the two girls to marry and saw her future approaching quickly.
King Wilhelm had played the Princess hands from the time of their infancy. He used the high demand for their betrothal to his advantage, forging alliances with the most powerful monarchs in Europe. But he knew his time was running out, and they were of highest value to him right now, lest they become too old.
Nonsense, declared the King, as the family dined together during their summer stay at Frederiksborg Palace. This is a matter of securing our realm. I will not be influenced by the tender hearts of two foolish girls.
Christina sulked. She did not consider herself foolish and maintained a keen interest in the complex matters of state.
The Queen was adamantly against a match with the French royal family, as she didnt wish either of her daughters into an incestuous marriage with her nephews. Moreover, a French alliance was already secure by her established relations there.
Spain, Prussia or Russia, Father? Are these our suitors? Isabelle asked aloud.
What about England? Christina interjected. She loved to hear any talk she could about good King Edward.
The Rotund Regent? Isabelle snickered.
Queen Madeleine joined in, They say he has a bed that fills his whole chamber.
And theres not a scale in the land that can measure his mass! Isabelle giggled more. Christina felt her cheeks becoming warm.
Enough! shouted Wilhelm. Ill not have my family risk their necks speaking ill of our ally across the North Sea.
Oh, Father, everyone knows that the King of England is fat! Isabelle protested.
We have a good friendship with the English ambassador, the Queen reminded the two Princesses. Let Our Majestys future successes be your guide in your word and conduct.
I for one would very much like to meet the King of England, Christina reasoned.
I understand him to be a good and wise ruler, she offered, then pausing.
Of course, not nearly as good and wise as you, Your Majesty, she flattered her father.
Christina was her fathers favourite. She was the more diplomatic and clever of the two princesses, and exhibited an appreciation for the intrigue of politics. She understood that knowledge and cunning were the true currency of power. She hoped that the man she married would be an able leader she could respect and admire.
Isabelle, on the other hand, had the gift of the arts to recommend her. Music and painting were her passions. She cared little for politics and the burden of power. She conceded to romantic notions of love, despite her fathers wish to the contrary.
A month passed before Christina overheard her father and his council speaking to the Spanish ambassador, working out the final details of her sisters pending marriage to Prince Alfonse. It was certainly no surprise to anyone, as it was widely speculated for years that she would go to Spain.
Isabelle was now joyous with the idea of embarking on a new journey to womanhood. She committed to her duty to Spain as a member of the Danish royal family, and prepared for her voyage. Christina cried for days, knowing she would miss her sister. They may have had their differences, but they shared a unique experience as royalty, knowing the pressure of interminable scrutiny on appearances, interests and conduct.
Please write all the time, Christina cried on her shoulder, I shall never be as happy as when I get your letters.
Isabelle stroked her younger sisters hair, I will write, but you must too, she reassured her.
Now you have your pick of Prussia, Russia or England, she giggled.
The old man, the cold man or the fat man, she joked about the respective monarchs.
Christina wished she could delay it all and just be a princess and not a queen, but her destiny awaited her. Still, her father held her close for a few more months, wishing to prolong the machinations of parlaying her marriageable status into alliance gold.
The younger Princess, without her dear sister to keep her company, threw herself into physical activities like dancing lessons and riding. She deepened her love of English poetry and literature and dreamt of visiting England to meet good King Edward. She also continued to take an interest in eavesdropping on her fathers meetings, absorbing every bit of sovereign intrigue.
During these months of waiting, the young Princess entertained several conversations with the English ambassador in Denmark, Sir Jon Norris, about King Edward. The more she learnt about his person, the more she grew to admire him. He told her of the Kings virtues as a kind and generous man as well as an erudite student of literature and the arts.
Christina would try to find ways to inquire about his true size, but the Ambassador eluded any discussion of the Kings rotundity. He feared upsetting her with descriptions of the way King Edwards rolls of fat protruded in his silken shirts; or that his golden doublets were constantly reworked to manage his burgeoning middle; or how he filled his breeches with his hanging belly and ample thighs. These were not bodily details he could share with a fair and delicate maiden like Princess Christina. He merely alluded to King Edwards commanding strength and great presence.
Weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday, King Wilhelm felt the pressure to finalize Christinas marital fate. The German duchies were again embroiled in violent religious controversies and civil war. Christinas future no longer appeared secure in Prussia. King Wilhelm was down to a choice between Russia and England for his youngest daughters hand.
Christina knew she preferred England. It was closer to home and she spoke English very well. But most importantly, she wanted so much to meet this grand King she had heard about for so many years. Talk of his great size and greater mind made her feel flutters inside of her corset like no other thing she had ever felt.
However, she knew that her father would never listen to her request if she discussed it from her heart, so she met him on the issue at his level. Your Majesty, you know I submit fully to your will and opinion, and I do unreservedly want to be a worthy vessel for your Kingdom in the world. Im just afraid that Russia, however desirable of a match for me the Tzar may be, doesnt have the stability and sensible aspirations that England possesses.
Dear Christina, he chuckled, youve been listening in on my affairs again, havent you.
Yes, Father, she sighed. I truly want whats best for you and our people. If it means marrying a stout English king, she masked her true desires, I am willing to make the sacrifice.
He had already made the decision to send her to England to meet King Edward and have the contract finalized, but he was fond of her precocious nature and humored her fresh wisdom. In your youth you have much courage and foresight. You may well be right. I will discuss preparations with Sir Jon.
Christina was elated. She was finally going to meet her King. She wrote a letter to her sister in Spain:
Dearest Sister,
It has been days since I wrote, and for that Im terribly sorry. But I have the most wonderful news. Father has agreed to send me to England, and I am now betrothed to the finest of young monarchs. I hope I can be the best kind of queen, wife and mother for him and his country. I depart in May. I shall travel though the Low Countries and then embark on a short sea passage to Dover at Calais. I will write to you upon my arrival.
Yours most lovingly,
Christina
It has been days since I wrote, and for that Im terribly sorry. But I have the most wonderful news. Father has agreed to send me to England, and I am now betrothed to the finest of young monarchs. I hope I can be the best kind of queen, wife and mother for him and his country. I depart in May. I shall travel though the Low Countries and then embark on a short sea passage to Dover at Calais. I will write to you upon my arrival.
Yours most lovingly,
Christina
