The Boleyn King
Chapter 2: Princess Dowager of Portugal; Infanta of Spain; Archduchess of Austria
A/N Henry put James behind Edward in the succession to punish Anne for cheating on him, even though she actually didn't bur Henry didn't exclude him for fear of Edward's death – like how it was Arthur's death that lead him to the throne.
TO FANS OF 'THE SECOND TUDOR KING' THE UPDATE WILL (HOPEFULLY BE ON EITHER TOMMOROW NIGHT (ENGLISH NIGHT TIME) OR MONDAY!
4th March 1554
Westminster Chapel, London
In the beginnings, James had been most eager for a French Princess to make his Queen; a way, not that he would admit it, to holding on dearly to his mother's memory of whom he knew had spent many years in both France and the Netherlands.
But it seemed it was not to be.
Jeanne of Navaree was already wed, something Cecil seemed to have oh so clearly overlooked and Margaret of Valois was two and ten his elder and it was unknown as to whether or not the French Princess would be soon to pass child bearing age and no one longed for a repeat of Catherine of Aragon.
Therefore he was to marry the just under one year elder Infanta Juana of Castille and Aragon, Archduchess of Austria, Princess Dowager of Portugal and mother to the future King of Portugal, her son: Sebastian. It would be a marriage that would not just solidify the relations between Spain, the Holy Roman Emperor and England but also it would create a bond with Portugal, the future King would be his step-son and any of their children, boys he prayed, would be the half-siblings to the King of Portugal.
It would be an alliance that would benefit England greatly but none the less he was most nervous to meet her. He had thought her portrait beautiful but it is hard to truly be able to know someone, to simply marry someone from their portrait; as Henry VIII, his father, had learnt with his fourth wife: Anne of Cleves.
And yet here he was, awaiting the bride to which, before this day, his eyes had never landed upon anything to do with her except her portrait. And her letter in which to request that she be allowed to bring her dogs with her, to which he had rather amusedly accepted.
The choir began to sing out and with that James Tudor knew that she had arrived, turning he was faced with the woman they had called Infanta of Castille and Aragon, Archduchess of Austria and Princess Dowager of Portugal: Juana Habsburg. Turning he was gretted by the sight of her entering the hall.
She was of exceptional beauty, which was evident, with an oval face, high cheekbones as well as possessing a strong jaw line; her eyes were of a cloudy grey and her hair a very light shade of blonde as she surveyed the scene in front of her. Her dress was a sparkling silver, her hair cascading in waves with a sapphire crown placed upon the woman's head.
Her expression gave away nothing but he found himself hoping that she felt at least a faction of the nervousness that seemed to consume him as he – not too subtly – appreciated the view of the woman who was to become his wife and Queen.
Negotiations had taken a fortnight between the King of England and of France, Lord of Ireland and King Charles V of Spain, Holy Roman Emperor mainly on the matters of religion and Mary, his eldest sister.
Infanta Juana, soon to become Queen Joanna, was to convert to Protestantism on the outside as long as, in private, she was allowed to worship as a Catholic to which James had hesitantly agreed, being very Protestant himself even if both he and his elder sister shared their liking for the stain glass windows, altars and for priests to still be dressed worthy of their position.
As for Mary, she was to not be pressured into changing her religion and was to be wed to a man of James' choice within two months after his wedding – something that the King of seven and ten found himself dwelling on anyway, the marriages of both of his sisters. Only he wasn't to be sure how Mary would take hers.
He watched as Juana kneeled next to him at the altar and saw as her enchanting grey eyes turned to look into his borderline black ones, said to be identical to his late mother's and like hooks for the soul, in fact, his appearance could be said to greatly favour his mother other than having his father's athletic build, six feet and three inches in height and the classic, seemingly unescapable, Tudor and Plantagenet red-gold hair that surprisingly went rather well with his unusually dark eyes.
He offered her a small, hesitant smile that he was positive seemed to convey his nervousness as she sent a slight smile of her own before both of their eye lines were directed back to Thomas Cramner who began the ceremony.
TBK-TBK-TBK-TBK
If he were to be completely honest with himself, he had no idea what to do. Most boys his age had took many mistresses to bed already yet he had not, favouring to stay sitting upon the sill of a window fiddling with the locket that hung around his neck; something that his friends most teased him for.
But he would never take it off.
For within the locket of rubies with a beautiful J on the outside was a picture – the only remaining picture to his knowledge – of his mother, his sister and he altogether. At the time he couldn't have been more than five months old, Bess recently having reached two.
Portraits took far too long to paint, in James' (who was quite prone to fidgeting) opinion yet Queen Anne Boleyn still held a smile upon her face as she looked down into the baby James' eyes, Bess to her left, their hands holding one another's.
Sighing and washing the thoughts of the mother he so wished to remember from his mind he turned to look to where his bride was announced to having entered. Though she, who had a son, was clearly more experienced than he her face still held a slight fear and concern upon her creamy pale face, feelings that he was sure he mirrored.
He could see Thomas Cramner blessing the marriage bed before the two got in and the curtains were drawn, even though they could still hear the breathing of the nobles from outside as they awaited for proof of the King and their new Queen's newly consumed marriage.
He did not know if they had done consumations in this way in Portugal but did clearly see the look upon her face, swallowing down his fear in an attempt to reassure her he stated, "ignore them all, for we are all that matters," and then, most hesitantly, he placed his lips upon hers.
20th April 1554
Windsor Castle, Windsor
It was quite a sight to behold, King James and Queen Joanna most joyously laughing as they rode side by side within the towering forests of Windsor, the Queen's favourite place of all of the courts.
Queen Joanna was proving to be a most accomplished Queen, reading and speaking Latin, French, Spanish, German, Italian and English as well as proving to be a most capable ruler. She was also fairly independent of personality at times as well as turning out to be quite wilful.
Though both rulers seemed to have noticed the curious eyes upon the abdomen of the Queen frequently now, even after only five weeks of marriage yet they seemed to take in their stride, both confident a babe would be to bless them soon.
What wasn't to be a sight to behold, however was the tantrum that was thrown by the Lady Mary Tudor during that time, a lot of stomping, throwing and yelling as she was informed of her husband-to-be.
Engalnd's only legitimate heir – in Mary's opinon – was to be married off to a mere Baron and worse, the son of a Boleyn and a Knight!
She was to be married to Henry Carey, Baron Hudson. The son of the late Mary Boleyn – the sister of Anne Boleyn – and the late Sir William Carey and James' cousin.
Not to mention his Protestantism and the factor that her younger, illegitimate, half-sister was to be wed to King Frederick II of Denmark and of Norway, the Wends and the Goths, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarm and Dithmarschen, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst; her little sister would preside over Empires! Just as her father and the harlot they had called Anne Boleyn had always said Elizabeth would.
She would not stand for it! Not now, not ever but with the Princess Elizabeth's wedding in five days and hers in not two… She would write to the Emperor, she would tell him of how horrendous the match was or perhaps complain to Queen Joanna, they were cousins after all; Mary was even betrothed to Joanna's father at one point. She would stop this wedding before it took place.
22nd April 1554
Westminster Chapel, Westminster
The Lady Mary Tudor's marriage was to be made a spectacle, but not out of love but for the factor that it was to flaunt the factor that the Catholic Princess that the people of the said part of Christian religion clung to so dearly was to be married to a Protestant cousin of the King.
Their hopes were utterly dashed as, after this wedding, if they were to put Mary upon the throne then they would have to put an unroyal Protestant upon the throne as well. Because of the King playing his cards so expertly all their hopes were dashed as they watched as the now sallow and tired looking former Princess of England walked down the aisle to face the rather fetching but grimacing Henry Carey who did not look anywhere near as besotted with his bride to be as the King had been with England's new Queen.
James watched satisfied. He had already briefed Henry with expressed orders that they not share a marriage bed and live apart, preventing the Catholics from turning to Mary's heirs and, in return, promised to grant the legitimisation of any bastards Henry Carey should have so he could have heirs still. In return, he created his cousin Earl of Warwick, a silent warning hidden within the title as a reminder of the fate of another Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville, and the fate that had befell that man when he dared defy his King.
He saw Joanna frowning at the scene and sighed slightly, he knew she did not approve of his motives even if she understood them and saw her observing eyes become pitying as her first cousin, once removed glared angrily at the man in front of her and declared to all occupants of the church that she would not marry him.
Guards looked at him for what to do and he gave them a nod as they forced her hand upon a contract of marriage, sealing them together before Mary was threatened into saying vows. He could not say he did not pity the woman, his sister who he had fond memories of from when he was small but with the Catholics rising up against him he had not a choice in this world – her threat had to be removed.
As the newlywed couple headed down the aisle he was too threatened by Elizabeth's glare at how Mary had been treated, eyes silently asking if that would be the events pf her wedding if she were to try to refuse and in that moment he genuinely felt guilty, never wanting his sister to so much as consider such a thing and out an arm out to Joanna who took it as the couple left, James intent on conversing with Elizabeth before it came to the marriage of her and the King of Demark and of Norway.