The Pale and the Purple Rose

[Kellan Sullivan]

Loved the Danish update! Let’s keep the Kalmar dream alive! Your version of Christian I is probably a bit more competent than otl was with that speech (although it’s possible that Dorothea sent him some notes. She really was the more competent one of them), but it’s very cool! I like that you can see some proto Christian II ideas with him!

thank you very much.

Brunkeberg

Will fix

Hah! I love that you included this injury ttl too, but for Sture! Nils Sture is his cousin though

dang it!

And nothing of value was lost. You don’t know how big a bullet you’ve dodged, Christian

I think it's more that he thinks he's coming home to this massive triumph, and then he gets met with news of his dead son. It's perhaps a bit of a "bad omen"

Hmmm, I honestly can’t come up with one either, I must admit

There was an older castle there before Tre Kronor, but it suffered severe burns in the early 1400s. I am unsure if that castle was known as Tre Kronor too though


Actually, it’s better for Christian that there’s only one son. His wife insisted that Frederik got the bulk of Slesvig-Holsten after Christian I died, which created all sorts of troubles later for Christian II. Here, Denmark and the duchies stay together and no annoying cadet branches are created (for now). Hopefully, without the precedent here, the duchies are kept united and with the crown later so no independent power base is created for younger sons. You could argue that the treaty of Ribe calling Slesvig-Holsten “forever undivided” legitimizes this

Did his wife perhaps not also designate Frederik as her heir? Because, according to wiki, she ended up (not unlike Sophie of Pomerania and Sophie of Mecklenburg) as pretty much the single greatest creditor of the crown. If she had left her "estate" to Frederik, that would've likewise created a headache.

Probably not. Frederick seems to have been a “going out of sale” pregnancy before menopause

Danish queens seem to have had a "knack" for that. Since both Dorothea and Christina of Saxony had pregnancies like that (Frederik I and the short-lived Franz of Denmark)

No matter what a better fate than otl

Nah. Dorothea is pretty cool and Christian doesn’t need more kids

He’s 15 at this point and soon able to have kids on his own here. Maybe he gets a Yorkist bride as was discussed otl

I was actually wondering about that. I realize it's probably a long shot, but what are the chances of Christian I doing what Edward I did with Wales/Edward II...namely, sending Johan - in a year or two - to serve as viceroy/regent (if only in name) of Sweden? Or is it too early for that?

Obviously it’s up to you, but last names aren’t used in Sweden in this era. Herr (first name) would be more in line, but then again they wouldn’t speak English either so it’s not a big deal.

Got it

I’m not sure if Christian would want a second coronation after already having had one in 1457, sure it signals that the king is back and in charge, but it also sort of signals that his previous deposition was legitimate and as such that future ones could be too. Making the conditions of the 1457 coronation stick would be great since it includes the recognition of John as his heir in Sweden.

I couldn't find if he had one, See my idea of sending John to Stockholm

Other than that, good. I think Christian will likely work as hard at curbing Swedish autonomy as he did Norwegian, riding the wave of his victory to switch up lands and lensmen as he pleases, placing foreigners and loyalists in important positions. I don’t see him dealing with the core of the Swedish issue, but he certainly has a good chance at preparing for the next big rebellion, I’m guessing we’ll see a big one at the latest around 1500.

Christian’s otl pro-Hansa stance isn’t necessarily a bad thing when it comes to keeping Sweden in line, since the Hanseatic connection is important to the Swedes too.

hence why I allowed his speech to be ambiguous. He acknowledges the complaints but doesn't answer what he plans to do about them (if anything)

Removing Frederick has interesting implications for the future of the Oldenburgs. The main line might not survive past the mid 16th century if Hans and C2 procreate as per otl.

given that Christian II's OTL wife's mother has already been butterflied out of existence (Isabel la Catolica died in childbirth with her eldest daughter), there will be some switching up. I've often wondered what would be the results of if Jakob the Dacian were actually Johan's kid (or Franz of Denmark had survived) and Christian II had a loyalist brother to serve as a buffer against Frederik I. Might not have changed much, but just like I can't see Richard III acting as OTL had Clarence still been around, I can't see Frederik I being much use if there's another body (or two) in the way.

Overall I’m happy to see C1 get some play, he’s an underrated oldeburger imho.

thank you, credit goes to @King of Danes for suggesting it.

 

[King of Danes]

Did his wife perhaps not also designate Frederik as her heir? Because, according to wiki, she ended up (not unlike Sophie of Pomerania and Sophie of Mecklenburg) as pretty much the single greatest creditor of the crown. If she had left her "estate" to Frederik, that would've likewise created a headache.

Not sure if she made him her main heir, but I can deffo see her having made him a co-heir, and she does seem to have favoured him a bit

I was actually wondering about that. I realize it's probably a long shot, but what are the chances of Christian I doing what Edward I did with Wales/Edward II...namely, sending Johan - in a year or two - to serve as viceroy/regent (if only in name) of Sweden? Or is it too early for that?

Hmmm, I think it’s too soon. Hans is the only heir, so sending him to such unstable territoy is too risky for now. Oslo might be a safer option to secure support there. Norway wasn’t completely locked down at this period yet

given that Christian II's OTL wife's mother has already been butterflied out of existence (Isabel la Catolica died in childbirth with her eldest daughter), there will be some switching up. I've often wondered what would be the results of if Jakob the Dacian were actually Johan's kid (or Franz of Denmark had survived) and Christian II had a loyalist brother to serve as a buffer against Frederik I. Might not have changed much, but just like I can't see Richard III acting as OTL had Clarence still been around, I can't see Frederik I being much use if there's another body (or two) in the way.

Christian II could still exist though! His wife will be different though. As for Jacob the Dacian, I’ve always imagined that he was Hans’ bastard son. He wouldn’t be a prince but it would explain how he got so far. Franz of Denmark surviving is interesting though. Especially if he’s loyal to Christian, as you say, since the Frederickan claim would be lesser. Here Fred doesn’t exist though, so it’s a bit more of a moot point

thank you, credit goes to @King of Danes for suggesting it.

Was a pleasure seeing it happen!

 

[HyperMuscularDemon]

Wow, what a cool chapter!

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Wow, what a cool chapter!

thank you very much

Not sure if she made him her main heir, but I can deffo see her having made him a co-heir, and she does seem to have favoured him a bit

figure he's the baby of the family and queens tended to leave their estates to their second/younger sons OTL: Elizabeth Wydeville's heir would've been Richard, Duke of York, Marie Antoinette's was to be OTL Louis XVII, sure there are other examples, but those are the chief two that spring to mind ATM

Hmmm, I think it’s too soon. Hans is the only heir, so sending him to such unstable territoy is too risky for now. Oslo might be a safer option to secure support there. Norway wasn’t completely locked down at this period yet

How come he wasn't dispatched to do this [Oslo] OTL? As you point out, Norway wasn't completely locked down either. It seems to make sense.

Christian II could still exist though! His wife will be different though. As for Jacob the Dacian, I’ve always imagined that he was Hans’ bastard son. He wouldn’t be a prince but it would explain how he got so far. Franz of Denmark surviving is interesting though. Especially if he’s loyal to Christian, as you say, since the Frederickan claim would be lesser. Here Fred doesn’t exist though, so it’s a bit more of a moot point

Maybe Christian will get an English princess so beloved of alt-history? Not sure why, but on the board, whenever they give Christian II a different wife, England is the go-to option. Never mind that, IIRC, Denmark and England were in a "cold war type standoff" over Iceland/fishing rights in Newfoundland until 1515/1516

 

[FalconHonour]

Maybe Christian will get an English princess so beloved of alt-history? Not sure why, but on the board, whenever they give Christian II a different wife, England is the go-to option. Never mind that, IIRC, Denmark and England were in a "cold war type standoff" over Iceland/fishing rights in Newfoundland until 1515/1516

I think it's because Mary of York was betrothed to Denmark OTL, it just seems to make sense to follow up that pairing. Also the English girls are a lot closer in age to Christian II than his OTL wife...

 

[King of Danes]

How come he wasn't dispatched to do this [Oslo] OTL? As you point out, Norway wasn't completely locked down either. It seems to make sense.

Maybe Christian will get an English princess so beloved of alt-history? Not sure why, but on the board, whenever they give Christian II a different wife, England is the go-to option. Never mind that, IIRC, Denmark and England were in a "cold war type standoff" over Iceland/fishing rights in Newfoundland until 1515/1516

I suppose Christian I might also have found Norway too dangerous? I honestly can’t say. Maybe he just also didn’t want his heir out of reach

With regards to Christian’s English wife, there’s the age aspect ofc. Both of the Tudor girls (or my ideal match for him, a surviving Elizabeth Tudor the Elder) is way more fitting agewise. Also, their marriage could be done to sorta calm the issues between England and Denmark. France and England has had a couple of marriages even though they have been at each other’s throats for centuries. And Henry VII could do much worse than a triple crowned monarch for his daughters

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

I think it's because Mary of York was betrothed to Denmark OTL, it just seems to make sense to follow up that pairing. Also the English girls are a lot closer in age to Christian II than his OTL wife...

I suppose Christian I might also have found Norway too dangerous? I honestly can’t say. Maybe he just also didn’t want his heir out of reach

With regards to Christian’s English wife, there’s the age aspect ofc. Both of the Tudor girls (or my ideal match for him, a surviving Elizabeth Tudor the Elder) is way more fitting agewise. Also, their marriage could be done to sorta calm the issues between England and Denmark. France and England has had a couple of marriages even though they have been at each other’s throats for centuries. And Henry VII could do much worse than a triple crowned monarch for his daughters

fair enough. Although spoiler-that's-not-actually-a-spoiler alert, Johan isn't getting Mary of York. Although, as mentioned, there may be an Anglo-Danish marriage in the person of Christian II. Perhaps as part of a larger Anglo-Scots-Danish peace?

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

@King of Danes @Atterdag I had a rather macabre idea for Christian I- granted this was inspired by what was done to an Oldenburg grandson of Queen Victoria*:

WI Christian I, instead of sending a living son to act as regent in Stockholm, orders that his dead son (aka OTL Frederik I) be buried in Stockholm. As a sort of "reminder" to the Swedes of the Danish presence?

*the grandson in question, Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein, was buried in Pretoria, after he was KIA in the Boer War. An unimpressed Boer woman remarked of the ceremony "you can see the British are here to stay. They are burying one of their own princes in our soil" (or directly translated "They are burying their Prince in British soil; the English intend to remain in this land")

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

My other idea is a bit of a Frankie-outgrowth:

WI Christian I removes Carl Carlsson Bonde (Carl II/VIII's son) from Sweden- the boy (b.1465/1466) would be a lightning rod for any opposition to the Danish regime now that the Stures are both dead* and Christian I had already pissed off the Totts (the boy's guardians FWIG). So to me, leaving him in Sweden is about as sensible as playing with matches in a powder magazine.

Again, we're not saying this was Christian I's idea (perhaps not even Dorothea's), but it would be a useful way of both ensuring the boy's loyalty (raising him in the king of Denmark's household) and perhaps even a means of rapprochement with the Totts. Plus, from what I can gather, the Bondes were one of the largest/wealthiest landowning families in Sweden, and the Stures kept a lot of little Carl's lands for themselves (citing his minority), leading to his death in "poverty and abysmal conditions".

In short, little Carl Bonde gets taken to Copenhagen, raised in the royal household as a sort of hostage in a gilded cage. At least until Christian I dies, then it's probably open season on what happens to him

 

[King of Danes]

My other idea is a bit of a Frankie-outgrowth:

WI Christian I removes Carl Carlsson Bonde (Carl II/VIII's son) from Sweden- the boy (b.1465/1466) would be a lightning rod for any opposition to the Danish regime now that the Stures are both dead* and Christian I had already pissed off the Totts (the boy's guardians FWIG). So to me, leaving him in Sweden is about as sensible as playing with matches in a powder magazine.

Again, we're not saying this was Christian I's idea (perhaps not even Dorothea's), but it would be a useful way of both ensuring the boy's loyalty (raising him in the king of Denmark's household) and perhaps even a means of rapprochement with the Totts. Plus, from what I can gather, the Bondes were one of the largest/wealthiest landowning families in Sweden, and the Stures kept a lot of little Carl's lands for themselves (citing his minority), leading to his death in "poverty and abysmal conditions".

In short, little Carl Bonde gets taken to Copenhagen, raised in the royal household as a sort of hostage in a gilded cage. At least until Christian I dies, then it's probably open season on what happens to him

This seems sensible enough. It’s a way to neutralize a potential lightning rod of rebellion. If he’s good and loyal but doesn’t have issue then he might even will stuff to the crown. Major PR move

@King of Danes @Atterdag I had a rather macabre idea for Christian I- granted this was inspired by what was done to an Oldenburg grandson of Queen Victoria*:

WI Christian I, instead of sending a living son to act as regent in Stockholm, orders that his dead son (aka OTL Frederik I) be buried in Stockholm. As a sort of "reminder" to the Swedes of the Danish presence?

*the grandson in question, Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein, was buried in Pretoria, after he was KIA in the Boer War. An unimpressed Boer woman remarked of the ceremony "you can see the British are here to stay. They are burying one of their own princes in our soil" (or directly translated "They are burying their Prince in British soil; the English intend to remain in this land")

Hmmm, I suppose you could spin it as a “I send my son here, since it’s because of your war that I never knew him” but I imagine that he’d be buried somewhere in Denmark where they might easier be able to mourn him

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Hmmm, I suppose you could spin it as a “I send my son here, since it’s because of your war that I never knew him”

was going more for the Biblical connotation of Abraham staking a claim in Canaan due to burying Sarah there

This seems sensible enough. It’s a way to neutralize a potential lightning rod of rebellion. If he’s good and loyal but doesn’t have issue then he might even will stuff to the crown. Major PR move

and who knows, if he's not only good and loyal, but also capable...either as a soldier or a diplomat...he might be of "some use" before he snuffs it. Probably not like "viceroy of Sweden" or anything- does Jakob Ulvsson, Archbishop of Uppsala, sound like a reasonable "compromise" candidate for the post since the Stures are dead? - but one of those demi-semi-quasi royals monarchs keep lying around for when they need a placeholder to stuff into a vacant bishopric (for instance) because they either don't have a family member available or the family member's unacceptable.

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

@BlueFlowwer hope you like your boy Giuliano putting in an appearance:

Soundtrack: Jacob Obrecht - Missa Grecorum - Credo

January 1472

*interior* *Prague* *the new king of Bohemia, Charles de Berri, is pacing a darkened room* *clearly agitated, he's biting his nails* *a servant comes in*
Servant: Your Majesty is to be congratulated on the birth of another daughter.
Charles: *seems to relax slightly* and Colette [1]?

*cut to Charles kneeling at the bedside of his beloved mistress, tears staining his face* *she's wan and pale, clearly not long for the world* *she beckons a teenager called "Catherine" over*
Catherine: oui, grandmère [2]?
Colette: *harshly* *rasping* *grabs Catherine's hand* I am sorry that I was unable to do more for you and Anne [2] *she looks at a slightly older girl holding a baby who looks about a year* *takes Charles' hand* *looks at him* Charles?
Charles: oui...?
Colette: *weakly* look after them
*while we don't see the actual moment of her demise, we see it as Anne buries her face in the hair of the child in her arms* *Catherine falls to her knees sobbing*

*cut to a black clad funeral procession snaking it's way from the Royal Castle in Prague to the church of Notre Dame des Neiges* *a title card tells us that Charles made a vow to finish the church begun by Emperor Karl IV*

*exterior* *Rome* *there is another, far more colourful procession underway* *it's equally solemn but far more "joyous"* *we see a litter stopping in Saint Peter's Square while the procession continues up the church steps* *then, from behind, a man climbing down from a horse alongside* *we see a woman's hand emerging from the curtains of the litter* *the man takes it* *and the woman steps down*
Woman: *to the man who's head is as if on a swivel* try to behave yourself, Giuliano.
Man [aka Giuliano]: *grinning at her* is that why Lorenzo sent you? To act as my jailer, sister?
Woman: *as they join the procession entering the basilica* Lorenzo sent me because he is a touch busy dealing with the problem in Volterra at the moment.
Giuliano: and if he doesn't send a representative to Rome, people will talk.
Woman: people are always going to talk, brother. You might as well give them something to talk about.
Beadle: her Excellency, the Lady Clarice, Lady of Florence, and the ambassador of the Most Noble Florentine Republic, Giuliano di Piero de Medici.
Giuliano: and how would you like me to make them talk, sister? *walking up aisle to their places*
Clarice: *off-handedly as she acknowledges a relative* oh...Lorenzo mentioned that if you were to find a bride-
Giuliano: *looks at her like a deer in the headlights*
Clarice: that I should investigate as to her suitability.
Giuliano: that's why he sent me here?
Clarice: you should know by now, *taking seat* Lorenzo seldom does thing randomly, Giuliano. Everything serves a purpose. Even his relationship with Donna Lucrezia [3].
*few moments later, we see the bride, Zoë Palaiologina, being escorted past them to the altar* *on the arm of her brother, Prince Andreas Palaiologos*
Giuliano: *to Clarice* to speak of mistresses, I heard the king of Bohemia's mistress recently died in childbirth.
Clarice: *straight faced* it may be for the best.
Giuliano: *looks at Cardinal Bessarion [4] speaking* this marriage or her death.
Clarice: Rinaldo [5] told me that while travelling through Italy, the king of Bohemia was making inquiries of his Holiness as to whether it would be possible to marry Madame d'Amboise rather than the late king of Bohemia's daughter. With subsequent legitimation of any child born prior to the marriage-
Giuliano: *looks at the bride* and now that that obstacle is removed, the marriage can go ahead with no impediments. Everyone is content.
Clarice: although one can only wonder at the future of a marriage sealed over a funeral bier.
Giuliano: that is life, Clarice: marriages are like death. The hour and the season are marked. None escapes.

*fade to black*

[1] Colette de Chambes, Dame d'Amboise. As @Zygmunt Stary pointed out, she's not really "high ranked" enough for Louis XI to bother with preventing her from going to Prague
[2] step-grandmother, actually. Anne and Catherine are the daughters of Colette's stepdaughter, Marguerite d'Amboise, and her de la Trémoïlle husband. Depending on the sources consulted, Anne de la Trémoïlle is anything between 15 and 22yo. Catherine is the last listed of her siblings, with some sources listing her as having died in infancy, others give no dates for her. For the purposes of this TL, she survived.
Why are the girls in Prague and not Paris? The OTL de la Trémoïlles were a bunch of greedy (one could almost say rapacious) courtiers who went from "cupbearer to the duke of Burgundy" to rivalling the Albrets' for power/influence inside a generation (English equivalents would be the Howards and the Seymours). They're going to seize on the opportunity that they have a king's mistress (even if it's not the king of France's) in the family, and try to wring all they can out of the position. Sending two teenage girls into the household of their (step)grandmother in the hopes that she can arrange good matches for them was standard practice of the day. And, knowing the de la Trémoïlles, they wouldn't be above exploiting Charles' travel to Bohemia in the hopes of securing a match there. They would also (à la duke of Norfolk) not be above pushing Anne/Catherine at a grief-stricken Charles in an attempt to maintain their influence.
[3] Lucrezia Donati
[4] I don't know who the actual priest was to perform the marriage, but I don't see why Bessarion couldn't
[5] Clarice's brother and archbishop of Florence

 

[eliamartin65]

Great chapter, Kellan!

Am I the only one who felt bad for Charles here?

 

[King of Danes]

They would also (à la duke of Norfolk) not be above pushing Anne/Catherine at a grief-stricken Charles in an attempt to maintain their influence.

Lord Tremoille: “Honey, grandma is dead. Now, go warm up stepgrandpa’s bed so we still get money. Hop to!” 🫠😬

 

[eliamartin65]

Lord Tremoille: “Honey, grandma is dead. Now, go warm up stepgrandpa’s bed so we still get money. Hop to!” 🫠😬

OMG that got me cracking up.

 

[Zygmunt Stary]

@BlueFlowwer hope you like your boy Giuliano putting in an appearance:

Soundtrack: Jacob Obrecht - Missa Grecorum - Credo

January 1472

*interior* *Prague* *the new king of Bohemia, Charles de Berri, is pacing a darkened room* *clearly agitated, he's biting his nails* *a servant comes in*
Servant: Your Majesty is to be congratulated on the birth of another daughter.
Charles: *seems to relax slightly* and Colette [1]?

*cut to Charles kneeling at the bedside of his beloved mistress, tears staining his face* *she's wan and pale, clearly not long for the world* *she beckons a teenager called "Catherine" over*
Catherine: oui, grandmère [2]?
Colette: *harshly* *rasping* *grabs Catherine's hand* I am sorry that I was unable to do more for you and Anne [2] *she looks at a slightly older girl holding a baby who looks about a year* *takes Charles' hand* *looks at him* Charles?
Charles: oui...?
Colette: *weakly* look after them
*while we don't see the actual moment of her demise, we see it as Anne buries her face in the hair of the child in her arms* *Catherine falls to her knees sobbing*

*cut to a black clad funeral procession snaking it's way from the Royal Castle in Prague to the church of Notre Dame des Neiges* *a title card tells us that Charles made a vow to finish the church begun by Emperor Karl IV*

*exterior* *Rome* *there is another, far more colourful procession underway* *it's equally solemn but far more "joyous"* *we see a litter stopping in Saint Peter's Square while the procession continues up the church steps* *then, from behind, a man climbing down from a horse alongside* *we see a woman's hand emerging from the curtains of the litter* *the man takes it* *and the woman steps down*
Woman: *to the man who's head is as if on a swivel* try to behave yourself, Giuliano.
Man [aka Giuliano]: *grinning at her* is that why Lorenzo sent you? To act as my jailer, sister?
Woman: *as they join the procession entering the basilica* Lorenzo sent me because he is a touch busy dealing with the problem in Volterra at the moment.
Giuliano: and if he doesn't send a representative to Rome, people will talk.
Woman: people are always going to talk, brother. You might as well give them something to talk about.
Beadle: her Excellency, the Lady Clarice, Lady of Florence, and the ambassador of the Most Noble Florentine Republic, Giuliano di Piero de Medici.
Giuliano: and how would you like me to make them talk, sister? *walking up aisle to their places*
Clarice: *off-handedly as she acknowledges a relative* oh...Lorenzo mentioned that if you were to find a bride-
Giuliano: *looks at her like a deer in the headlights*
Clarice: that I should investigate as to her suitability.
Giuliano: that's why he sent me here?
Clarice: you should know by now, *taking seat* Lorenzo seldom does thing randomly, Giuliano. Everything serves a purpose. Even his relationship with Donna Lucrezia [3].
*few moments later, we see the bride, Zoë Palaiologina, being escorted past them to the altar* *on the arm of her brother, Prince Andreas Palaiologos*
Giuliano: *to Clarice* to speak of mistresses, I heard the king of Bohemia's mistress recently died in childbirth.
Clarice: *straight faced* it may be for the best.
Giuliano: *looks at Cardinal Bessarion [4] speaking* this marriage or her death.
Clarice: Rinaldo [5] told me that while travelling through Italy, the king of Bohemia was making inquiries of his Holiness as to whether it would be possible to marry Madame d'Amboise rather than the late king of Bohemia's daughter. With subsequent legitimation of any child born prior to the marriage-
Giuliano: *looks at the bride* and now that that obstacle is removed, the marriage can go ahead with no impediments. Everyone is content.
Clarice: although one can only wonder at the future of a marriage sealed over a funeral bier.
Giuliano: that is life, Clarice: marriages are like death. The hour and the season are marked. None escapes.

*fade to black*

[1] Colette de Chambes, Dame d'Amboise. As @Zygmunt Stary pointed out, she's not really "high ranked" enough for Louis XI to bother with preventing her from going to Prague
[2] step-grandmother, actually. Anne and Catherine are the daughters of Colette's stepdaughter, Marguerite d'Amboise, and her de la Trémoïlle husband. Depending on the sources consulted, Anne de la Trémoïlle is anything between 15 and 22yo. Catherine is the last listed of her siblings, with some sources listing her as having died in infancy, others give no dates for her. For the purposes of this TL, she survived.
Why are the girls in Prague and not Paris? The OTL de la Trémoïlles were a bunch of greedy (one could almost say rapacious) courtiers who went from "cupbearer to the duke of Burgundy" to rivalling the Albrets' for power/influence inside a generation (English equivalents would be the Howards and the Seymours). They're going to seize on the opportunity that they have a king's mistress (even if it's not the king of France's) in the family, and try to wring all they can out of the position. Sending two teenage girls into the household of their (step)grandmother in the hopes that she can arrange good matches for them was standard practice of the day. And, knowing the de la Trémoïlles, they wouldn't be above exploiting Charles' travel to Bohemia in the hopes of securing a match there. They would also (à la duke of Norfolk) not be above pushing Anne/Catherine at a grief-stricken Charles in an attempt to maintain their influence.
[3] Lucrezia Donati
[4] I don't know who the actual priest was to perform the marriage, but I don't see why Bessarion couldn't
[5] Clarice's brother and archbishop of Florence

Great chapter! Tho I am more interested in how will Charles as king of Bohemia deal with Corvinus threat.

 

[Dragonboy]

@Kellan Sullivan ! Amazing work as always! I really enjoy your tl's!

 

[BlueFlowwer]

@BlueFlowwer hope you like your boy Giuliano putting in an appearance:

Who now?

 

[Kellan Sullivan]

Who now?

I wouldn't have to watch Bradley James die a horrible death in a TV serie to start with.

 

[Nuraghe]

@BlueFlowwer hope you like your boy Giuliano putting in an appearance:

Soundtrack: Jacob Obrecht - Missa Grecorum - Credo

January 1472

*interior* *Prague* *the new king of Bohemia, Charles de Berri, is pacing a darkened room* *clearly agitated, he's biting his nails* *a servant comes in*
Servant: Your Majesty is to be congratulated on the birth of another daughter.
Charles: *seems to relax slightly* and Colette [1]?

*cut to Charles kneeling at the bedside of his beloved mistress, tears staining his face* *she's wan and pale, clearly not long for the world* *she beckons a teenager called "Catherine" over*
Catherine: oui, grandmère [2]?
Colette: *harshly* *rasping* *grabs Catherine's hand* I am sorry that I was unable to do more for you and Anne [2] *she looks at a slightly older girl holding a baby who looks about a year* *takes Charles' hand* *looks at him* Charles?
Charles: oui...?
Colette: *weakly* look after them
*while we don't see the actual moment of her demise, we see it as Anne buries her face in the hair of the child in her arms* *Catherine falls to her knees sobbing*

*cut to a black clad funeral procession snaking it's way from the Royal Castle in Prague to the church of Notre Dame des Neiges* *a title card tells us that Charles made a vow to finish the church begun by Emperor Karl IV*

*exterior* *Rome* *there is another, far more colourful procession underway* *it's equally solemn but far more "joyous"* *we see a litter stopping in Saint Peter's Square while the procession continues up the church steps* *then, from behind, a man climbing down from a horse alongside* *we see a woman's hand emerging from the curtains of the litter* *the man takes it* *and the woman steps down*
Woman: *to the man who's head is as if on a swivel* try to behave yourself, Giuliano.
Man [aka Giuliano]: *grinning at her* is that why Lorenzo sent you? To act as my jailer, sister?
Woman: *as they join the procession entering the basilica* Lorenzo sent me because he is a touch busy dealing with the problem in Volterra at the moment.
Giuliano: and if he doesn't send a representative to Rome, people will talk.
Woman: people are always going to talk, brother. You might as well give them something to talk about.
Beadle: her Excellency, the Lady Clarice, Lady of Florence, and the ambassador of the Most Noble Florentine Republic, Giuliano di Piero de Medici.
Giuliano: and how would you like me to make them talk, sister? *walking up aisle to their places*
Clarice: *off-handedly as she acknowledges a relative* oh...Lorenzo mentioned that if you were to find a bride-
Giuliano: *looks at her like a deer in the headlights*
Clarice: that I should investigate as to her suitability.
Giuliano: that's why he sent me here?
Clarice: you should know by now, *taking seat* Lorenzo seldom does thing randomly, Giuliano. Everything serves a purpose. Even his relationship with Donna Lucrezia [3].
*few moments later, we see the bride, Zoë Palaiologina, being escorted past them to the altar* *on the arm of her brother, Prince Andreas Palaiologos*
Giuliano: *to Clarice* to speak of mistresses, I heard the king of Bohemia's mistress recently died in childbirth.
Clarice: *straight faced* it may be for the best.
Giuliano: *looks at Cardinal Bessarion [4] speaking* this marriage or her death.
Clarice: Rinaldo [5] told me that while travelling through Italy, the king of Bohemia was making inquiries of his Holiness as to whether it would be possible to marry Madame d'Amboise rather than the late king of Bohemia's daughter. With subsequent legitimation of any child born prior to the marriage-
Giuliano: *looks at the bride* and now that that obstacle is removed, the marriage can go ahead with no impediments. Everyone is content.
Clarice: although one can only wonder at the future of a marriage sealed over a funeral bier.
Giuliano: that is life, Clarice: marriages are like death. The hour and the season are marked. None escapes.

*fade to black*

[1] Colette de Chambes, Dame d'Amboise. As @Zygmunt Stary pointed out, she's not really "high ranked" enough for Louis XI to bother with preventing her from going to Prague
[2] step-grandmother, actually. Anne and Catherine are the daughters of Colette's stepdaughter, Marguerite d'Amboise, and her de la Trémoïlle husband. Depending on the sources consulted, Anne de la Trémoïlle is anything between 15 and 22yo. Catherine is the last listed of her siblings, with some sources listing her as having died in infancy, others give no dates for her. For the purposes of this TL, she survived.
Why are the girls in Prague and not Paris? The OTL de la Trémoïlles were a bunch of greedy (one could almost say rapacious) courtiers who went from "cupbearer to the duke of Burgundy" to rivalling the Albrets' for power/influence inside a generation (English equivalents would be the Howards and the Seymours). They're going to seize on the opportunity that they have a king's mistress (even if it's not the king of France's) in the family, and try to wring all they can out of the position. Sending two teenage girls into the household of their (step)grandmother in the hopes that she can arrange good matches for them was standard practice of the day. And, knowing the de la Trémoïlles, they wouldn't be above exploiting Charles' travel to Bohemia in the hopes of securing a match there. They would also (à la duke of Norfolk) not be above pushing Anne/Catherine at a grief-stricken Charles in an attempt to maintain their influence.
[3] Lucrezia Donati
[4] I don't know who the actual priest was to perform the marriage, but I don't see why Bessarion couldn't
[5] Clarice's brother and archbishop of Florence

amazing chapter, really funny, the part about Clarice who acts as babysitter / mother to our Giuliano is beautiful, but I doubt that she will be able to keep him in line for too long ( always the discovery that Lorenzo is preparing his shoes ( Giuliano ) with a wedding, I don't kill first 😂, I'm sure that suddenly our young Medici will have some illness that will make him unable to meet possible candidates to become his future wife, I imagine that this behavior will make Lorenzo and Clarice very irritable towards Giuliano's whims ), for the rest we see the first appearance of Sophia and Andrea Paleologos, who knows what fate is in store for them ? ....
😉😜