#noble consort xi

[hundredthousandtimes]

PERIODDRAMA APPRECIATION WEEK 2023

Day 6: Favorite character(s):

Barin Meiruo - Legend of Ruyi Bala Hatun - Kurulus Osman Han Xiangjian - Legend of Ruyi Niohuru Zhen Huan - Legend of Zhen Huan Mihrimah Sultan - Magnificent Century Mary of Burgundy - Maximilian: Das Spiel von Macht und Liebe

[roseunspindle]

Niohuru Zhenhuan

[guzhuangheaven]

Hi, could you talk about the marriage of imperial princes? Specifically the children of the current emperor. We can see this in Ruyi (it's been a while since I watched and forgive any mistakes) when Hongli was still a prince he had the ability to "choose" his wife, no matter how much Noble Consort Xi influenced him to choose Lady Fucha. Later we see him agreeing to Noble Consort Jia's request to marry Yongcheng to Prince Heyi's daughter, I can't forget Yonghuang who was resentful that his wife was from a lower flag. So I had this doubt, why did some princes have this opportunity to "choose" while others didn't?

sorry for my english

Well, choose is a strong word.

There is a distinction between the circumstances where Hongli chooses his wife and Yongcheng choosing his wife.

Ok, the ceremony we see where Hongli(‘s mother) choose Langhua, Xiyue and Hongli chooses Qingying as his wife is part of a much larger ritual, called xuan xiunu (selecting honoured ladies). Xuan xiunu is a ritual that takes place every three years, and in dramas it’s usually to select new concubines for the emperor (i.e. how Zhen Huan, Meizhuang et al. were selected). However, in reality, xuan xiunu is not just to choose wives for the emperor, it’s a much more complex process to select:

Yes, potential new concubines for the emperors

But also wives for princes and imperial relatives who the emperor may want to bestow (usually political) marriages on

But also high ranking maids to serve in positions close to women of the imperial family, including current consorts, consort dowagers, empress dowager etc. There are levels to being palace maids, and the highest level dealing closely with ranked persons would be more akin to positions of ladies in waiting, which in western history were also high-ranked women chosen to serve the Queen (in this case also high ranking imperial consorts and the empress).

(Contrary to what is portrayed in dramas, you can't just beat palace maids to death nilly willy with no repercussions like Hua Fei with Fuzi, especially maids who were serving close to higher ranks. There are consequences - see Qianlong's Dun Fei.)

There is a short subplot early in Bu Bu Jing Xin where Ruoxi, the daughter of a general and sister to the Eighth Prince’s secondary consort, is supposed to be a candidate in the xuan xiunu ceremony. While the Eighth Prince was able to use his connections to get her out of the list to be potential concubine to the emperor (Kangxi) and for marriages to the princes, she was nevertheless chosen for a guannuzi position serving the emperor himself.

(There’s a whole comedy of errors where the goal actually was to get Ruoxi to be not chosen for any position at all, but then too many princes suddenly took an interest in getting her out of lists that the consorts dealing with the selection started getting suspicious and competitive among themselves on who gets to keep her and then she becomes the emperor’s maid anyway, which they had been desperate to avoid because even though Kangxi hasn’t shown any romantic interest in Ruoxi, never say never.)

Guannuzi is a position that can potentially become a concubine to the emperor – a palace maid raised to the position of guannuzi can wait on the emperor overnight and in harem drama it’s equal to basically becoming the emperor’s concubine in all but name. Yu Ying’er and Songzhi in Legend of Zhen Huan were both raised from palace maids to guannuzi for this reason. But in BBJX it’s made clear that the position itself doesn’t have to be a concubine position, and Ruoxi was just the emperor’s tea maid.

High ranking maids like Ruoxi (and I guess dowry maids of the consorts we see in dramas like Ruyi and Zhen Huan) could be bestowed good marriages later as reward for their service as well.

Anyway. Back to Hongli. His wives were chosen in the xuan xiunu ceremony because the time of marriage happened to fall on the same period as a xuan xiunu ceremony was taking place. And by the time you get to that shortlist who gets to meet Xi Fei, there has already a whole load of selection and cuts being made off-screen. Everyone knows going in that both the Emperor and Xi Fei thinks Langhua is most suitable and the whole selection on Hongli’s part is jus ceremonial. He probably deludes himself into thinking he did have a right to choose Qingying/Ruyi if he wanted to, but honestly it would have been a bad move politically. At that point, even Yongzheng probably didn’t want him to choose Qingying, who has already been rejected by Hongshi. If disaster hadn’t struck with Hongshi and Ruyi’s aunt at that point, driving Qingying’s family into disgrace, if Hongli had insisted on choosing Qingying in that moment against his mother’s clear wishes, Xi Fei wouldn’t be able to say anything against it as at that point, Qingying was the empress’s niece. But it would not have been a good political move on his part and would have made things bad for Qingying anyway.

With Yongcheng, he is of an age to be married, but no xuan xiunu ceremony was due any time soon, in that case the emperor can just choose someone(‘s daughter) that he knows to bestow in marriage on his sons – same for Yongqi. Yuyan knew that Qianlong was thinking about Yongcheng’s marriage at that point, so she not so slyly suggested who she wanted, without realising that she was challenging the emperor in doing that and showing herself to be too arrogant for her own good. I think the idea was that Qianlong had someone lower in mind for Yongcheng but Yuyan thought that only a woman descended from Kangxi’s daughter was suitable. Yongcheng didn’t resent his wife for being lowborn, he resented his wife for being too high born and feeling like she shouldn’t be paying respect to a disgraced concubine, even though she still owes that to Yuyan as her mother in law regardless.

I think in the novel, Qianlong also deliberately chose women from lower ranking clans for both Yonghuang and Yongqi in hope that it would not make it too obvious how he was considering them both at different points as heirs (probably learning from his own situation where it was obvious where he was headed with Langhua being chosen as his consort), but it was Yonghuang that had a problem with that as well IIRC.

[chinesedramaoutfit]

Violet outfit of Niohuru Zhen Huan, Noble Consort Xi

[cruger2984]

THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL The Queen Consort Feast Day: July 4

Elizabeth, daughter of Peter III of Aragon and Constance of Sicily, and the sister of three kings: Alfonso II and James II of Aragon and Frederick III of Sicily, was born in Aljafería Palace, Zaragoza, Kingdom of Aragon on January 4, 1271. At 10 years of age, she was given in marriage to Denis of Portugal, and bore two children, Alfonso, later became Afonso IV of Portugal, and Constance, who married King Ferdinand IV of Castile. Elizabeth is the great-niece of another saint - Elizabeth of Hungary.

Eventually, her prayer and patience succeeded in converting her husband, who had been leading a sinful life. She was modest in her dress, humble in conversation, and charitable towards the poor. It was her habit to provide lodging for pilgrims and to procure dowries for the poor girls of the kingdom.

One of the best moments of her life was the miracle of the roses. Caught one day by her husband, while carrying bread in her apron, the food was turned into roses. Since this occurred in January, Denis reportedly had no response and let his wife continue.

Elizabeth would serve as intermediary between her husband and Afonso, during the Civil War between 1322 and 1324. The Infante greatly resented the king, whom he accused of favoring the king's illegitimate son, Afonso Sanches. Denis was prevented from killing his son through the intervention of the Queen, when she, in 1323, mounted on a mule, positioned herself between both opposing armies on the field of Alvalade in order to prevent the combat. Peace returned in 1324, once the illegitimate son was sent into exile, and the Infante swore loyalty to the king.

In 1325, after the death of her spouse, she retired to the monastery of the Poor Clare nuns, now known as the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha in Coimbra, and entered the Third Order of St. Francis, devoting the rest of her life to the poor and sick in obscurity. During the great famine in 1293, she donated flour from her cellars to the starving in Coimbra. She was also known for being modest in her dress and humble in conversation, for providing lodging for pilgrims, distributing small gifts, paying the dowries of poor girls, and educating the children of poor nobles.

She was a benefactor of various hospitals (Coimbra, Santarém and Leiria) and of religious projects, such as the Trinity Convent in Lisbon, chapels in Leiria and Óbidos, and the cloister in Alcobaça.

She died on July 4, 1336 on her way to Estremoz Castle, where she was supposed to settle a family quarrel. She was called to act once more as a peacemaker, when Afonso IV marched his troops against King Alfonso XI of Castile, to whom he had married his daughter Maria, and who had neglected and ill-treated her.

In spite of age and weakness, the Queen-dowager insisted on hurrying to Estremoz, where the two kings' armies were drawn up. She again stopped the fighting and caused terms of peace to be arranged. But the exertion brought on her final illness. As soon as her mission was completed, she took to her bed with a fever from which she died, and earned the title of 'Peacemaker' on account of her efficacy in solving disputes.

Elizabeth was beatified in 1526 and canonized a saint by Pope Urban VIII on May 25, 1625. Her feast is also kept on the Franciscan Calendar of Saints.

Since the establishment in 1819 of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Canary Islands, Spain), Saint Elizabeth is the co-patron of the diocese and of its cathedral pursuant to the papal bull issued by Pope Pius VII.

[kyogre-blue]

Finally got through my copy of this thing:

Overall, it's fine. But I do have some nitpicks.

The main one is the cover. You look at it, and it's got this big red and white fish, and you ask yourself... who the hell is that? Because it's sure not the main character! He starts out as a small black/gray carp and gains gold scales later. He's never red and white, and he's not this big during this part of the story. The fish is also injured, which only happens at the very start where he is, again, small and gray. What kind of unprofessional nonsense is this?

Aside from that, imo the art style of the cover is nice but rather generic. I would have preferred they had the inside image artist do the outside cover too, if only for consistency. It would have been more dynamic and distinctive too. And yes, the inner art is more stylized and cartoony, but like... they use stuff like "Moe Pet System" in the translation, they're not afraid of the anime influence.

Aside from that, the books does have a few typos and such.

"Mu Tianzhao thought his tone was tone was a little strange, but he was certain there were flaws in his plan" -> Should be "thought there were NO flaws in his plan."

"Prince Jing didn't know what kind of thing a "system" was, so he was about to write it down, but the drunken little fish cupped the prince's in his hands and giggled." -> The prince's what is missing. Face, maybe?

"Noble Consort Qiu'scat" -> space is missing between words.

There is also these two parts, which aren't exactly typos, but they use speaking quotation on two things that are probably meant to be internal thought, which is otherwise always conveyed via italics.

In the first one, "There's no need to prepare this pastry anymore," it could be Wang Xi speaking, but given that they add the tag "he said" when the last person mentioned is Prince Jing and then start a new paragraph before describing Wang Xi's actions, it comes across as Prince Jing's line, but Prince Jing is mute, so it can't actually be him.

This happens again in a scene where it's just Prince Jing, the MC as a fish, and a dog, so there's no one in the room who can talk at all.

All of these instances are in the second half of the book, so I wonder if they ran out of time on doing additional editing or what.

Aside from that, the overall quality of the translation is fine, but I feel like it's a bit less lively than the fan translation on Chrysanthemum Garden.

Well, it is what it is. I still enjoyed reading this again anyway.

[armatofu]

María de Molina: La reina que salvó a Castilla

María Alfonso de Meneses, más conocida como María de Molina, fue una reina consorte y regente de Castilla que vivió entre 1264 y 1321. Su vida estuvo marcada por la lucha por el poder, la intriga política y la guerra, pero también por su gran capacidad para gobernar y mantener la unidad del reino.

María nació en el seno de una familia noble, hija del infante Alfonso de Molina y de Mayor Alfonso de Meneses. Desde pequeña, recibió una educación esmerada que la preparó para su futuro como reina.

En 1282, se casó con Sancho IV de Castilla, con quien tuvo nueve hijos. Durante el reinado de su esposo, María de Molina se convirtió en una figura clave en la política castellana. Actuó como consejera de Sancho IV y participó activamente en la gestión del reino.

Tras la muerte de Sancho IV en 1295, María de Molina asumió la regencia de su hijo menor, Fernando IV. Durante este período, tuvo que enfrentar las ambiciones de la nobleza y las intrigas de sus enemigos. Sin embargo, gracias a su inteligencia y astucia, logró mantener la estabilidad del reino.

Tras la muerte de Fernando IV en 1312, María de Molina se convirtió en tutora de su nieto, Alfonso XI, quien era aún un niño. Durante este período, la reina abuela se dedicó a proteger a su nieto y a asegurar la sucesión al trono.

María de Molina murió en 1321, dejando atrás un legado de sabiduría, valentía y entrega a su reino. Es considerada una de las figuras más importantes de la historia de Castilla, y su papel en la defensa del trono y la unidad del reino ha sido reconocido por historiadores y cronistas.

¿Qué es lo que más admiras de María de Molina?

[libidomechanica]

Untitled # 10360

A rispetto sequence

               I

But he surf in all in their pretty pleasurable song, form’d to point of her leagues not to thy guide … nor several flattering on a king low drum. Being friend’s her smiling sight; now another attention of a minute’s, and down; we knowledge, my heart, cannot why he treasure, fie! Then gusts relent, and from this fancies should turn his best overpower shut my fire.

               II

About each from the meant here! Sighs, and the eyes watched what Weakness of children—women must looking the schoolmastern king, how a waves the sea. His visit us and gold men did shine eye in the midst the moon art, the said; she known; found no war is I said, In Heaven’s flesh white brain, rain to vulgar by mends her on a bands: O noble the was ward, in ill alone cure, fie!

               III

Music, the pass’d a strikes to sented? By so you by! Each reach virgin zone; she narrow conceit did shed claret, fear pig, are not unperceived so clean. Young Desire, at he feast, until this is was his that. And rhymes—as if aught to one chaste flesh officient fable—just as should ceas’d within my should gae mad, o whistle, and compassion with it. Formed too, for chain.

               IV

Within clouded eyes, but little Mermaiden fish, and does this, the never all, and can’t feel the river, yet to-day invasion. Can with a smile, the comes frore, you with not shrieks in such a coast, shore that that Pity soone and his scythe took some change and all the become to tutors. Religion weeping at so imbrue the sung in some side my honest they living name you art!

               V

And place, as women for a rock of a sing. Or swore; and there we may stainless consorts in Cashmire is no line, and be thy hard to cometh not, but stewards to ride like dissolving eyes so go … Masons, champ and thou look’d in a stab herself! Has every is you better thee his simply ripened many a squadron flies, table scaffolds the furrow? Cut of her side.

               VI

Backward: she said not,—and who cried, and hoarse which was most suits a love, or in that hour refus’d, being it on Patience; he self-discovered, latest words have chain o’er is in the moon only life unbelieve my ear; children deare, to each tide or page; why does heart into heavily, i’m wear the martyr, and stray; your disgraceful ladders, also when, you see, ’ and Wedlock.

               VII

I will become how true lament of rum. Her very day; ruin anywhere, ’ reign eye, they presence use depends twined to melt roast of soür ale sometimes seaweeds by his eye; or will he shown: to the signing receiv’d, spreads bow, adding mouths of some more when nightingale’s general. Also was nothing So we falshood still’d for loss of his worship so recall all of grow.

               VIII

A moments pretty pleasures may note. The sharply: Strikes in summer smells on us love. Now with prevents married me, and they stay before- ’—Oh! The mountaining—and the snow, and and one admiring them make suspicion strings which he transfuse your tongue, the swing after that I deem’d to writing the though the virgin’d to come to a moment, drawes our body and the caves!

               IX

Thus to day, to blood on him had loved and looked his good topples roar and he, it would sees through, and as a thunderstands your sky, the wear a web of an according sweet, and my kind, since that your mourneys, groves, and words obey that his garded to seeks we still silver-green glory, for an imperiously blackness. As Baba: but what sweet a work, sit on bliss; fie pleasure.

               X

I arise a full, but he seen can ail them who hold of the fades in my ain dear, was wondering a present mine own eyes, singing mute, and walking, the fault I brings with your winged inwardly don’t; beyond times Sun him out my hand serene! Left long was as out thought, and shame back, but Lovers all; ye glory in ever; quo’ she through the fast the fullest the autumn’s bride.

               XI

And cuckoo; cuckoo that we have supt, I won’t supposed cages walking young me more do fade: she kiss would not quite shrink a dreamed of Leutha’s vale: thou here is nest; with the ches. So the shore thro’ his spleen, were as much like a key in ever deepe from cold day my only light have praising ere two women; for them yet, thou payèd were fix’d; the same; exceeded broke my skill’d with losse.

               XII

Holding; and thered; her heart, and gave light. Were na look’d the strength I recall those is not to and Tom bearded, my blot the warlike they setting gem; and means be this never foul prey’d fifth care? Ah, how with a son. Another, toss, at did from them like ugly raven a life—send very element the bled like needling-place of a sings wings, and sang to the cause of Light!

               XIII

, Whether, Prince, ev’n to get that sweet yoke in such as I came her fear! At lass, but when you will except to vulgar the feeble after, how wise; but if that’s deare Sonne betwixt myself once show much this life and sighs, and love, nor threaded with lullaby you ran ancient epic laws untwine, dry the river! Shall boast of feasted then, being and none by the cold desire!

               XIV

And, and the merchanter’s pick it— but the kind? Advantage from Gulbeyaz’ eyes were fair wert left on grows purity we hither the bargainst they see—or idly rich is not, she will that I trust thy purling look a lass, if we love is Shadow of a kind of the secret shadow in my hand serenity—the pot, I free. And cold flowers; ’ except to the Roses!

               XV

Him she crevice personal life, I rate on a splendor. What in pure and they who buy. This why should not stay, she drag-chains to recoiling the victories should altogether; thou transitory to me, and blowing; thereth to be still, I wander’d her eare. Oh my tree. When so good? Became a boundaries she creep she widows, Lady, I ne’erthrowing blades of dewy bed!

               XVI

They do not dissolve the look leave, the land, where, or by mists dying of death! And more crush’d past solid find of golden pledge, who costly present less; others love, that Miracles him from his forth, and let a thousand miser to holds fall on in his cheeks as Venus room in anywhere proof how shake in seems fertile it a cherish: she oft for on this head with aching.

               XVII

For studs; and in their babes to whose my Sandy O, my lad, o we wild when sometimes under with except to showering gem; and to Baba, whose not go gentler pain—why does he dews a hostess desert. Distract; plain to the old negro, pray do ye forget to-day is as such an appears of what in a cat, or poppy see—or if you said, we are shake the more.

               XVIII

Is just condemne note. And then new the doors; but my fillèd alike only his losing to Her we loved me of oriental strutted, to hell: wha spied at the custom of the firm soil sell—all from the must still: they whose serv’d my other angel becommence in the meant, I loverslide intented o’er that ye form the poor drinking the bright each other; to worry him.

               XIX

Still then he father debtor Next, share—he sake, and a maid, surprised pleasure, for truth anguid smile, her fault was glow between nurse who makes me dizzy to love’s temple’s turnest worth eternal slave, on the low; now a black friendship has every to temperors are the envier? All of sleeps, perswaded panes. It would you a nymph- like a length milky way, the favour, she this.

               XX

And made for auction upon my harme dizziness … and bent light make your dream; there them, as throne, whom his name? And lovely eyes of all, in thickly to outlive also confidently mistake such a genial? Thou from aught me in mine, and move and yet contrary effect on grown with our good, or power turn’d my dying like of Lamech is which neuer tack’d woman Old.

               XXI

Three lady, or where, dropt with a virtue lamps, as smooth all appeare, what you be shore. Here kingdoms of selfish holds of the grey stone, and cry world leave to the worldly flowers; but I did; and bright and one of pale and lift me good nature, which they right of the pausing its for Seas Seven wings, or kind. The others pay what stric juice will in another in Heaven showed lawn.

               XXII

All flame of dwell that torment height once with furs and the other heart the iudge appears. Remember thought moss the earth beauty in the ripe birds sing. Then the prove thou awakes, a sicke in his like religious dropp’d; but I know, if matters round, were came vested leaves. Children’s exuberant with a song very eyes—some other adds to thee, as the other own by what house.

               XXIII

Communing might with amid them so’ ’T was woman, I’ve far-off belle Dame sixth shee the tame place of my youth shriek’d, for instrument: twere sate with except thou have send: through we inhabitation. She order’d man on me said; she same down lassie yet! Bride out of youthful should! We know where mistakes out my head, ye roses from a sepulchre, all reporter to than delight.

               XXIV

For thinking out someone amongst throught make threefold and upon his half-world to infant lips in: since I Ioues cup do keep to death-pale stake such a small our mountain to ask how and transformal come to defilèd bosom: my mother with a string and the height berries and blessing to the years, there no equal. For speak; for dry empty this line’s shine and I rise as mild!

               XXV

What, snug study, and love in proper could turned, it must lost in such as dotted with sympathized in there dead! You are their name. Or farther chance of night divine in my arms pale page freër unders from with secret, his dark caverns when saith, and fire flashing made you be supprest thro’ the best out the was he same find us not whate’er left his mouth it sets us free.

               XXVI

And ever, a grand that’s freely scarce better face, with lullaby. ’Re trip for him to knows! Here your leaves, and called; ever course. As done. She same into the more that beams arise world’s weigh’d down, shall beautiful, exactly. And are once age appeare: on their hammer smocks of monsters. To time wile you should we wish to infant light less, dear delight. A hirèd a very weak.

               XXVII

I wrote thinke the Turks—as if she your heard her mind, she reasons, on the merchant? Ask the light faith; but in the strikes that is that great morning sign’d to Juan who taste flesh and near heaven moved connubial an among them. But a glass, beautiful embodied and all the prepare to live lovely shed on more pearl. The free under you? And then the height feel pain, let me leave, life.

               XXVIII

Men at lovely July-flowers, and it words are a pretty maintain-tops with them a voice, and his woe. When a Church on Juan ancient weighing in the praise he verge of mounting sigh. While, and I, o whistle, as I had best bands the night promise as the land on me, you play’d your chamber mouth that grieved in aprille, þat fall his vilest feelings made her feel that love you.

               XXIX

As been form, that she left the side, who did of muscle, as the bind his eyes of mone! Rejoice into Don Juan, ’t were color anywhere in with no wizardry old miser to seeks were to mone! Almost inter stout boat, and make a sigh; a tone than crowne, and for which—as we prove, but pray your glad eyes fit fortune once that may never this! Then the sea breathed then the sea.

               XXX

Walls, and glitter. So lately foe, great god Pan, and worse. The stake, by the heart. By large, along thirty despotism in lost ere my halls, the does spring’st thou ask a text she can I fail like a gown mince, ere the grave, on the private this lullaby, my Sandy O; tho’ father, which he sodger. The curtain, since fellow wails his deare, that bad luckily from me. Of kill’d?

               XXXI

I loved to pant. And gins are like palace maintance almost thought my smart, that I show frank, who make fast hour mind; it is majesty of love depends intenses radiant deeper knee to awaken spreads I kissed, even men, devil shaft struck the the whistle, and them? Awoke, I needles, and a keg of this: the giant lips; she, she meantime death, and after I ne’er left.

               XXXII

When think your memory—odours fall: they master’s earth of the shiness … and beguile; and all the growes neere, encourage appetite. While, he dogs, other was set. Wild me infinite black fellow Polish sweet a flower caprice, Vengeance, my one, each rend to recall they trod as mild beames, that doubt that you don’t, best- naturally his cigaret! In our floor bright winced.

               XXXIII

Sap check’d heart of poverty? Sweet thy vttermost the white trill. As the ghost they wonder eye hath sovereign’d, of that dreams did grow by the stretched me of solitude, you by! The dying it light, which you, except in the deep the world arise! Behind, which are the sun; and now befal love you I love, the whales come down; and newer pursue it. He devil snare.—My Sandy O.

               XXXIV

) That with wide, and loved, that garden, at leaves she! I embracing soul would sees part and what does is a glimmers. But exquisitely smile, the world aught shame spring which I lose minister and pat his world wind, where some prepared, replied through your past and small of blood was Cupid, as she! His toiled and welcome to bed horribly tent stir of inward, and mind, the rose spring.

               XXXV

If their roots are doubt he’s comes to wand turning— whose falshood stands obay; her dying changed me. ’Tis not save nation: poor so it dissemble, with in that make a small flesh touch upon white as if your mind meant for makes her bribe me bought; for as he purple robe thou see, which destruck that god Pan, the lips the scaffolding; yet am fled more So we are similes and short.

               XXXVI

Which we were are not ashes mixture me dearest golden gusts shine easier done? Down. But as I, which or craft had done wonder’d his own swung them thinkin o’t; the bought, and she is but nothing town a shift and all she screen new pain or and Sunne-borne away, to guiltless loved to pad, wilt; for a flame. And o’er, and she, your for these the daggering throughts of repining?

               XXXVII

In the sorrow by the sublime; the Champak odour at time, and round in hath some to you sing the Daughty and them backward; and come to governour, may swych a few shine and her slave o’t; robert Burns: fie on shadows great expense; but Loue doth rise, an immensurate, then blackleg, broadcast our Love. But mine, as lofty as any eden weary, aweary vaults.

               XXXVIII

Said I pardon crave which for he now’s fallyt on the suns of the great mouth, and driue sone angry word. His many women’s naturally find of abstractional praction it man take to come, droop not: Fortune at youthful-grinning while he spake: o Elenor, beware them all to enclosed woes a cravat; for through piece o’ his vow, or all amorous trill. A whore, harsh fear.

               XXXIX

Sometimes monarchs are that render tears. The laboured Queen of its ray? Sat a Love’s tear silently, an old new; one’s shall I never spin one on the should show and the mountain price, quoth Baba bow’d still now, if the great god the night aid. ’ Father life unbelievers, on the way did I say were a present above and griefe. Although which made them within the river. Mind.

               XL

Tis too widows directly took another Arac, nor great black from birth I saw, in her night I’d lost tending their flower to seeketh rust as wing overruled aside went to a cages walk’d by feature’s no more! Like then spell out though the more similes yet shalt by night while, took the hardly cruel fire; i’me wealthful year; but the smiles; pity; or wherever you?

               XLI

Appetites, and up in joy and we say. I should by now just no men make in baba and not bound help would she is new. But a merry nod was you’d returns without boat, stand, turning; makes for euery farewell at not be sifted ways stuck hard with her blush and the after, as to stone, one view, dissembles sickle of you though the neere I trust into tears, and meekness.

               XLII

Such a stab herself and Asian shadow from her. We throughts, who give the blue, betraide, and away, by all he did erre, if judged she gaze, from his cometh not, she has their hinges creek belovèd as a wide of her very weak rib by a day till the cheek grows ever, snowy limbs, and then this small lives, not dazzled,—that copy die, are his fell: what not dazzling my gold.

               XLIII

Until your dead on they gush’d from and who waiting, wilt thou be a Woman weeping, that I went that we burning for chambers, all equal, but cruelness. As a spot of either, little once, which bound like a full cause I did market range afflictions, was been pass such the hour eye. And saw thee it a churl Death take casts of him the mouse Nancy; stretched white, and hoary, away!

               XLIV

In deservice of wines, and I much I felt most curiosity: for so, as he same as though yet, and prison, sure hath there with the love’s yokes almost joys and some Babe, that none or poison, and quailed. And lust? Shone from the who dare not yet—ah me! What set as we might to must bear as black from myself and lads that fly by night, weight upon a blink of desire!

               XLV

Ask me no fair, the eyes, but, Oh alas, if she courted: whateuer fault on a survive me this. She wintry languish moist and the could constella is not truly sympathy this delight in golden show you could see a presides, I’m hung, a thou up in jest; and the breast. The cast friends, your partake you a nymph replies lit within nor their rightly pasture-ground its way?

               XLVI

I will life desired children’s hardly leave, what some spring and most rocks, secure and discern the gentle way in Mens fallyt on grow old of your voices e’er keep take! Ah, how she wise may pierce revives; and to rest the drew her dear I have loom; and there shall pass’d with velvet moan. But peace been and dreamed I saw the cause martyr’s grace nor love had weird seizures groan rank grass!

               XLVII

Sunbeam must be thy words ease; and ivy buds and with the play the court and it the bowers of solely, and o’er measures of state it is pity Natures stream, oothoon, were battle. The leave had learn, to her waking the sea. And all in they falling it, that dare not afraid … I proper ploughs mortality distress; she winds alone and water, and hair! My wing’d wide night?

               XLVIII

And she world arise softly tenth Muse; peace, people less pure. Of whom true, a think with a bleeding; he same Bashaw must part of beer a little making brothed that the means subtill the lang—taken by charm’d to hide the dragon-fly to he cast loved you shew us Joyes, and in dark does against the fruits found, upon your bombers, when who did drinks all who before heaths stay!

               XLIX

I fancies? She stars above, where we are grey church cannot lovelier lays his leaves, one view the put for it flame: while I shall not top fondly, I must no date ne’er song, these than shed in walls of designs—that more the Bosphorus cousin, ’ as fast breaking eyes the furniture the eyes, youth reflect traverse which bound thus far as oars come honest wild despite things and his gauze?

               L

Of a good! A long although his straws, that dreams are shadows beside and be married again. As if a flitting fairily well might have nor can tell me where and we hither as a hostess dove, and your walls on a work divided spider chaste like two soule four. Where solid stone he purchase female has serenely alchemy; and rather waking backe, then, or one?

               LI

All say with a soul of a wide-embrance court my lips taste like a cherish no lady’s hair works on you would Fate sic a language who by there thine who had not by now beside the eyes of Creech; and worse to gaze, and the stept up, thy haruest-time be desire! And mutter delight so your truth, or are write may reflection slide, spread, his day to ye, my wealth, in the breath.

               LII

With a faery’s spread, each surrounding wings nor Lawes, and your soul of things charms the many wanton babes have fourth, and a little ones of yonders had leave thanking out a woman’s close threshold you, by Satan’s eyelids mouth inwardly would solitude’s. Such a gentle found to guess he’s give mean that the wide world, in rather on a fair Elenor! And fit to so rare.

               LIII

I feeds my heart, when it all with the love’s great black staggering of the face not a silver babe falls that I do not everything through you. They shepherd swains and star in the secret, sad eye, round it yesterday and fashion to obey’d on eithere and stag she had leaves upon this middle aged, on the ranks of that not thus shows than fame or brethren, calm; thought her, O!

               LIV

Somewhere year it be above and sighing thy brand at the other, much bettering kind out, and knows! What tree, it ne’er is fourth sweet last shall guised pleasure. Sandy brands than a morals were bowl, the sands the gratefully strings which made fiers must surprised note, while other oathsome poor heavenly perish: looking spring and troubled into my mothers in against my harm.

               LV

Like cast out of than one at the far-off grass eternal Worlds worse. Her pictur’d-for you with a wide, that’s how mourn, sometimes Sun and daisy, safely wise; so those farmer, yet now we pull; but her he’s held Love isles, and all thine of sleep becomets, too, and baskets of beer an’ I’ll bear the long. ’ Baba, nodding new. Set me with pulse and you should exist in act, readiness.

               LVI

As if she free, forget here Nabuchadonosor, king, Baba smiling of the Norther knowledged shall darke, sir; for beames, all this one out at naked as she saw thee modern build woof, what can lord were few hours life? Hint that valley of the was bound an impossible, he oriental shelves in the hundred spleen, where we dark brow; but one day of mischiefe light.

               LVII

Of his said the custom still remits that longer mother den, so you occur infancy aft I have restrain clinking fire land on both in such gems and there’s much I miss’d the snow she sake, and and prison from me. Next day, all were dissolves, shall part into the owl, the small alone like Heaven of sighing, was to the voice they quick, we love away his but rainbow.

               LVIII

Vehement straightway I every tongue, and afternoon where bland, and though soon shadowed the doing, because, nor man take you said, I am this his veil the still now a flame. My Maud and the Axis hall permit a place; I lovely Pussy saint’s Grave for in temple speaking! Are written till once she goes a birds spire, giving while thought of self and passage hidden roses.

               LIX

Like in property diplomatic hands obay; as ended his guide: there’s noon where and demands unkind, which for rave, life by the summer bed, singing me or suit in law. Wall, and die. The vale: art that which her the wide: he mulberry and such as I have away from Heaven know nough he negro told him, when their daughters pay which dreamed, and pray the pair such a hearse.

               LX

Are not lovely cares? By you will gaze in my birth I spoke no needs a glimmers in its stay that I was therefore had; and owne his own her sicken, and the riversing themselves; say the cruel is righten’d her sent in the where not enought upon you write moderate puts all the white. Include the business, in her fear, the caves, sustain trouble have a green west weep the more!

               LXI

Spirits, and his cold and now, yet I feed a cherub cease a burther, and wall a sluice as to still I pour most lose his perfect to times Sun and the moon began to turnest land doom with gory blood, the nightly mind. An hour oozed, purity the wide drawn, but Bromion’s ill play their eye: yes; and high? Singing moonlights in sad rimes, lest within the Piggy, I thousand said.

               LXII

What while pray, to guerdon cracked Pagan, said I am near it. And variety its from scissors that long and sometimes Sun and yet it were was warm, they bowstrung Anthea bad and daisies which a female have no worship to temple’s awe and the luminous snake, and might on a broke to you rise in cups of old, who ne’er so it chasten’d domes die, bonie Sandy O.

               LXIII

-Rose in the milk come quite curse the would that dare not weeping, Christian, my ware? Alone amongst the gave my rack one, I noticed on him she rank as ye wrack against my lad, o whistle, and comfortable thought, Power with me along on a show. Where much in this is a joy, O joy, for both dawn and men did melted joys of desire! And yet was glory of men.

               LXIV

The halls, were describe; describblers to choke. Ghost too long. And you in that she same downrightning most live thy wife? On the come to come away from ours, none in this long the oriental scrupulosity; I never know who have consorts are wrings which I remembering toward, their child of age stray; the South in waves rooms, splash and in stews, the born beam must be solitude’s.

               LXV

The last, my mingle lady Godes moderately that god that made himself shalt find on glass, beauty would arise mad, or the worship aduaunce, I love. Because thrown all: throng’d abouts, in ground, fee by the height of drunkards me, since Adam which else first, as they sent sorrows stormy, the Northern stand a marry force with horror lightness, haunt of relish her life is cleere.

               LXVI

Now course at he fair maid, object; then these pleasure breath, or poison, and corrupt my Love. At while Natures to tire off its endears, which— as well; till that was a trifling up and white. And aspire and instinctures come to deceased worship terror starr’d when to its ended his empire and left me in all his very ear; nor tell you know not upbraid, had got.

               LXVII

Yet, upon head most words have the rich you, if we should brand runs to me, you looked like an end, since to a good-bye and left to guerdon to blood admire hardly, nor missed against my distress, that love entwined the was doom but been his head. Thought make and small commerce be doesn’t moves the meet nobler that first sinning good, till my drudge at high; for in your wall. Like the dying round.

               LXVIII

Brough her sensitive ties, sleep, power of forms and called the bury him, and to my mould ever hand fed her sent as yon hawthorn’s best, clipses stands obey’ had been trouble. By him thy dazling face, the sea, or where bereavid, to beye, next his honest, as t was as he, which rend all arriv’d throws of the flatter here then by and beds by me. Were art gone, and insane.

               LXIX

Which, Esquirts, I loves abode;—for thro’ a languid smile from Gods can never harden and sand, and they fall, and nothing and keep to hints toy! She sate brows and worm shall not gallant bosom’s wander feet hath praise; naming or other’s faults. Nay, think upon the types; Yes; and raptured by spell flee awake them that is abused. And freckled Chloe, when I won’t express and kind.

               LXX

Have been myne dig deeply knead till are shake thing, for a live where thrice of my bonie, but above payment? Out off a thing look always made his large or twa, she’s but grow circumstance, and trying me door worship terror life ill reason, above the red porch forests relent, or fresh Amaryllis, with parch in my arms bared, that the villain the little was full; by all the face.

               LXXI

All a bird-under of mine and laughed with a stab herself to amen., Was we shake the rewards flow; now be but alone and wall and then can the folded repeated, or in heaven knowledge as far as loves, turn’d my rhymes, leap’d o’er with you you contact; the warm her. Thou cloyest monosyllable an urn. You are by might, Power to cut it be taken, the sun, his ring?

[consortmadness]

𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 (𝟮/?)

𝗡𝗶𝗼𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘂 𝗭𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝘂𝗮𝗻 (𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗫𝗶) & 𝗝𝗶𝗻𝘅𝗶

[vierran45]

Ooh, this episode had some proper melodrama! Loved it!

The Left Prime Minister and another consort conspire together to get Feng Xi and his sister into trouble after they find out that Feng Xi is actually not the Feng family’s son, but was adopted (so that’s how he can be a Feng and related to the Meng family). They set up a trap for the two to meet suspiciously late at night and accuse them of having an affair. There is no real proof other than an inveterate gambler’s testimony, but just the suspicion is enough to put them in danger.

Since it’s been such a long time and there is no longer any proof to show that Feng Xi isn’t blood related to Consort Feng, his best best defense is to stay adamant in his claim that they are siblings.

[roseunspindle]

Vivian Wu: What I've Seen Her In

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace - Niohuru Zhenhuan - Consort Xi → Noble Consort Xi → Empress Dowager Chongqing

[wellthebardsdead]

Follow up from the last emperors dragon??

———

Tai Lung: *calmed down after eating something vaguely familiar from his old life, quietly unboxing more gifts with the help of Wu Long* This is? *holds up a very ornate gold cuff with a long pin, both decorated with small carnelians*

Wu Long: *seated beside him on a cushion* that’s a hair pin the emperor had intended to gift to the king of zhao, but considering how expensive it is and the rarity of the gemstones he felt it more fitting a gift for you.

Tai Lung: king? You mean there’s other kingdoms here?

Wu Long: of course there is. I’m from the kingdom of Wu, as is my mother who is a concubine under his highness… though I’m not allowed to tell anyone that. If he finds out she surely will be executed.

Tai Lung: so… why are you telling me this?

Wu Long: because I trust you your highn- Tai Lung. Forgive me that’s going to take some getting used to.

Tai Lung: *smiles sadly and gently pats his hand with his tail* I promise. Your secret is safe with me.

Wu Long: *smiles and gently strokes the silky fur along the tails spine* would you like me to put your hair up? It’s easier having someone else do it. It also looks a bit funny seeing you so well dressed but your hair is, well, pretty as it is it’s all over the place.

Tai Lung: oh- *blushes a little* I- I guess I did get a bit carried away trying to run away and all-

Wu Long: *snickers and sits behind him gently brushing his hair and putting it up in a bun with the crown pin and leaving the rest to drape down his shoulders and back* all done. It suits you.

Tai Lung: *reaches up a little feeling the crown holding his hair* thank you… *looks at the rest of the boxes and the mountain of sweets* What am I going to do with all this though? There’s no way I can eat it all.

Wu Long: so much sugar will certainly be poorly for you. Her highness the Empress even warned his majesty the emperor of it but, once he has his mind made up there’s no stopping him… *pauses getting an idea* His highness… I know!

Tai Lung: you do?

Wu Long: the emperor has many children to the ladies of the harem! If you wish to get rid of all these sweets maybe you can bless them with these gifts?

Tai Lung: I? Yeah, let’s do that!

*A few hours later*

Emperor Tengfei: *walking through the courtyard* a fractured wrist then?

Chief Physician Li: Yes your highness, it’s best it remains tightly bandaged and splintered at all times until it’s safe for us to reassess it. It’s very important the great dragon does not strain himself too hard in the mean time.

Emperor Tengfei: hm, easier said than done I’m afraid. He tried climbing out the window in search of a potato this morning. Speaking of which, have the necessary dietary records brought to the imperial kitchen, if it is good enough for a heavenly body than I wish for all in the palace to enjoy it.

Chief Physician Li: *bows* yes your majest- what on earth-

Emperor Tengfei: *tilts his head in confusion before turning around upon hearing children and women laughing* hm? *pauses seeing Tai Lung handing a box of sweets to one of the young princesses*

Tai Lung: don’t eat them all at once.

3rd princess Xi Shi: *bows very clumsily but as best as she can* th-thank you qweat dwagon!

Guifei jia: (guifei meaning noble consort) Thank you so very much great Dragon for blessing my child. *bows and ushers her daughter over*

Tai Lung: *very uncomfortable being praised like this* d-don’t mention i-

Chief Steward Li Yu: The emperor has arrived!!

Emperor Tengfei: *steps forward making everyone drop to one knee to greet him* Rise.

Everyone: *stands back up*

Emperor Tengfei: What’s going on here? Why are you all pestering the great dragon when he should be resting?

Guifei Gao: Addressing the emperor, the great dragon summoned all the mothers of your children here to gift them with his blessing.

Emperor Tengfei: *stares down at his children who all stand there nervously holding the gifts*

Tai Lung: *stands up with a grunt, still in a bit of pain from his rough landing* As much as I appreciate your gifts- *pauses having no clue how he should address him when everyone sees him as higher than the emperor* um, your highness. I’m afraid even I can’t enjoy all of them without some repercussions to my health. And I felt they’d be better enjoyed and appreciated by the young ones than myself.

Emperor Tengfei: is that so… *glances at Wu Long standing nervously beside the dragon and narrowing his gaze*

Wu Long: *suddenly drops down into a kowtow* your majesty! Please forgive me! It was my idea! I suggested the dragon distribute your gifts to him! Please direct your displeasure towards me!!

Tai Lung: *Looking at him in utter disbelief* I- H-Hold on a minute what?!

Emperor Tengfei: *shakes his head* Wu Long, I assigned you to him thinking you’d be more responsible and devoted towards the dragons health, and yet barely a few hours into your service here you are directing him to gift blessings rather than rest! I should have you flogged!!

Tai Lung: I?! Hold on a minute I wanted to do this! *kneels down and helps Wu Long up hiding the smaller man behind himself* Nobody is getting any punishment never mind something so barbaric as that!!!-i- *covers his own mouth in suprise hearing it change to such a deep, inhuman and angry tone*

Emperor Tengfei: *standing there in shock*

Literally everyone else: *shut up so hard Tai lung can practically hear their assholes pucker in fear*

Tai Lung: I… I’m sorry, I lost my tem-

Emperor Tengfei: *bows deeply* You need not apologise your grace, forgive me for displeasing you so. *stands back up right* Please do rest once you are done here, I will see you this evening at the banquet. *turns and walks off towards the inner palace*

Chief Steward Li Yu: The emperor is leaving!

Consorts: *all bow as he passes* wishing health to the emperor.

Tai Lung: *watches him go before looking back at Wu Long* what the fuck was that about man are you okay?!

Wu Long: I? I don’t understand half of what you just said but yes I’m okay.

[chinesedramaoutfit]

Noble Consort Xi

[latristereina]

The twenty-five months from April 1469 to May 1471 are one of the most dramatic periods of English history. Edward IV had suffered insurrection, disloyalty, imprisonment, and exile, while Elizabeth had experienced the murder of her father and brother, the birth of her son in sanctuary, and had been besieged in the Tower while her husband hazarded his life in battle. There is no evidence that, throughout all this, she behaved with anything but a queenly dignity which won the admiration of loyal contemporaries. No writer saw fit to criticise her, and William Alyngton, the Speaker of the Commons, ‘declared before the Kinge and his noble and sadde counsell, thentente and desyre of his Comyns, specially in the comendacion on the womanly behaveur and the greate constance of the Quene, he beinge beyonde the See’.

Her devotion to Edward was obvious and she had fulfilled her role impeccably. Her beauty had not occasioned any scandal (in striking contrast to two of Henry VIII’s English consorts), and those who has feared the worst in those now far-off days of the 1460s had learned to respect, and admire, a lady who had proved herself to be everything an English queen should be.

- David Baldwin, Elizabeth Woodville

He [Edward IV] was clearly a man of considerable intelligence, equipped with a particularly retentive memory. He had considerable personal charm and affability and by temperament was generous, good-natured and even-tempered. Consistently courageous, he had great confidence in himself and the capacity to inspire it in others, and from early in his career showed natural gifts of leadership.

- Charles D. Ross, Edward IV

Edward IV had ruled England wisely, and despite his warlike upbringing, had devoted himself to peaceful pursuits. He had encouraged commerce and declined war with France, while wisely keeping the money voted by Parliament for the purpose, and at the same time accepting a large sum from Louis XI to leave French soil…

- L. G. Pine, Princes of Wales 

Happy Birthday, Irina! @edwardslovelyelizabeth

[shangyangjunzhu]

qing dynasty appreciation week day 5: prominent empress dowagers

~ empress xiaoshengxian of the manchu bordered yellow banner niohuru clan

qianlong’s birth mother was the empress xiaoshengxian of the niohuru clan, consort xi of the yongzheng emperor. she entered into court service as a gege when yongzheng was still a prince. she began to receive special favour after giving birth to prince hongli, who was intelligent and beloved by both his father, yongzheng, and grandfather the kangxi emperor. later, she was bestowed the rank of noble consort only after the passing of yongzheng’s first empress.

source: Sotheby's, Sotheby. “The Emperor's Long Mid-Autumn Holiday.” Sothebys.com, 17 Sept. 2019

after her son hongli succeeded the throne as the qianlong emperor (r. 1736-1795), she was honoured as an empress dowager and conferred the title chongqing. henceforth eight more honorary titles were conferred on her. the qianlong emperor held grand celebrations for her on her sixtieth, seventieth, and eightieth birthdays. in 1777 (the forty-second year of the qianlong period), she passed away in the immortal lodge of eternal spring (changchun xianguan) in the garden of perfect brightness (yuanming yuan, now known as the old summer palace) at the age of eighty-six. she was the most long-lived empress dowager of the qing dynasty.

source: The Palace Museum. “Portrait of Empress Xiaoshengxian at Age Eighty.” 

[cristinborgia]

𝙻𝙾𝚂 𝙷𝙸𝙹𝙾𝚂 𝙳𝙴 𝙵𝙴𝙻𝙸𝙿𝙴 𝙸𝙸 𝙳𝙴 𝙴𝚂𝙿𝙰Ñ𝙰- 𝙴𝙽𝚁𝙸𝚀𝚄𝙴 𝙸𝚇 𝙳𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝙶𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚁𝙰

Enrique fue el primer hijo de la reina María I de Inglaterra y entonces príncipe de Asturias Felipe de Austria. Su madre contaba con 38 años cuando lo dio a luz, siendo su nacimiento un milagro y una gran alegría para los católicos en Inglaterra. Sin embargo su nacimiento también causo grandes tensiones entre católicos y protestantes que no querían a un rey católico en el trono, siendo la preferida la medio hermana de su madre, Isabel Tudor que era protestante.

Estas tensiones aumentaron cuando nació un año después su hermana Catalina debido a que ambos hermanos apartaban definitivamente de la linea sucesora a su tía materna. Pese a estas tensiones y conflictos religiosos, Enrique tuvo una infancia feliz y se mostraba muy cercano a su madre y hermana con la cual compartió una educación basada en leyes, historia, religión y modales. Su padre Felipe II de España nunca se intereso por el ni por Catalina, es por ello que Enrique nunca mostro interés por el reino de España además de mantener numerosas tensiones con sus medios hermanos.

El príncipe de Gales fue un soplo de aire fresco para su madre María I de Inglaterra y se dice que este calmaba los arranques de ira que tenia su madre, además de que la reina se volvió una mujer mas calmada y su imagen de reina sanguinaria se fue dispersando volviéndose una mujer serena, estricta y que buscaba no anteponer sus sentimientos ante la gobernación.

En 1558 sus padres se divorciaron por acuerdo mutuo y los príncipes adoptaron el apellido Tudor, además de permanecer junto a su progenitora mientras que su padre volvía a España para hacer su propia vida. Pese al divorcio de sus padres, Enrique y Catalina siguieron siendo vistos como los herederos de la corona inglesa, además de que su vida siguió siendo igual junto a su madre.

En 1569 la reina María I de Inglaterra empezó a tener distintos problemas de salud y permaneció en cama por varios días. Durante su enfermedad la reina temiendo por su final decidió declarar a su hijo como mayor de edad y le dejo a Enrique la tarea de buscar un buen compromiso para su hermana. María I de Inglaterra falleció ese mismo debido a un supuesto cáncer de ovarios y su muerte fue muy sentida por sus hijos que guardaron un luto de 5 meses por su querida madre.

Enrique fue rápidamente coronado en el Palacio de St James en Londres como Enrique IX de Inglaterra y fue declarado mayor de edad con casi 15 años. Tras ser coronado una de las primeras decisiones que tomo fue mandar a llamar a su tía, Isabel Tudor y se dice que en aquella reunión la princesa acepto renunciar al trono ingles a cambio de grandes sumas de dinero y de portar el titulo de Duquesa de Leicester.

Tras esta negociación Enrique decidió aceptar la libertad religiosa pese a ser un devoto católico, debido a los numerosos enfrentamientos religiosos en Inglaterra y causados por su subida al trono. Aquella decisión le trajo algunas tensiones con el papado y reinos como España no aprobaban aquella libertad de culto.

El rey decidió casar a su hermana Catalina con el príncipe Enrique de Navarra, heredero al trono navarro como una forma de entablar buenas relaciones con familias reales y nobles protestantes. Tras esto favoritos de Enrique buscaran una esposa para el y el opto por una esposa francesa siendo la elegida la hermosa Luisa de Lorena-Vaudémont, hija del Duque de Mercoeur y pariente de los Duques de Lorena.

La pareja se caso en 1570 y se sabe que Enrique apreció mucho a su esposa a la cual llamaba cariñosamente “Isa”. Los reyes mantuvieron un matrimonio estable y feliz, además de tener 4 hijos en común:

Eduardo VII (1571-1621) Fue rey de Inglaterra entre 1610 a 1621 siendo considerado un rey que no se intereso en la gobernación y prefería estar centrado en su gran biblioteca. No se caso por elección propia y no tuvo hijos. Falleció a los 50 años de edad y sería sucedido por su hermano Enrique X.

Enrique X (1572-1643) Fue rey de Inglaterra entre 1621 a 1643 al suceder a su hermano mayor. Para esos momentos ya estaba casado con Isabel de Dinamarca y tuvieron 6 hijos: Ana Isabel, Enrique XI, Inés, Victoria, Eduardo y Edmundo. Su reinado destaco por entablar una corta paz con Roma y en acabar con las guerras de religión. Sin embargo falleció a los 71 años antes de llegar a cumplir este ultimo objetivo.

Luisa (1574-1649) Fue Gran Duquesa consorte de Toscana al casarse con su primo, Felipe I de la Toscana. La pareja tuvo una buena relación y Luisa le dio a su marido 8 hijos: Luisa, Felipe II, Olga, Francisco II, Juana, Virginia, Cosme y Guillermo. Tras enviudar en 1630 permaneció alejada de la gobernación y falleció a los 75 años.

María Francisca (1575-1611) Fue Duquesa consorte de Suffolk al casarse con su primo Edward Dudley, hijo de Jane Grey y Guilford Dudley. Los duques no tuvieron una buena relación por la arrogancia de María Francisca, pero acabaron teniendo 3 hijos: Edward, Enriqueta y Isabel. María Francisca falleció un año después que su padre a los 36 años por tuberculosis.

En 1576 falleció la reina Luisa de Lorena-Vaudémont debido a un aborto y su muerte muy dolorosa para Enrique que estableció un luto de 5 meses por su fallecida esposa.

Tras esto Enrique se reunió en 1577 con su hermana la nueva reina de Navarra Catalina en la frontera de Navarra y ahí ambos hermanos tuvieron un emotivo reencuentro, además de entablar algunos acuerdos con el reino de Francia. El rey apoyo los derechos sucesorios de la joven princesa María Isabel de Valois, hija del rey Carlos IX de Francia y que esta se casase con uno de sus primos paternos para asegurar el linaje de la Casa Valois.

Durante estas negociaciones la reina viuda de Francia, Isabel de Austria volvió a la corte francesa en 1578 tras ser echada por su antigua suegra Catalina de Medici. Enrique quedo encantado por la apariencia de la reina viuda considerándola como una de las mujeres mas hermosas y elegantes de Europa, por su parte Isabel considero al rey ingles como un joven atractivo, inteligente y tranquilo habiendo una gran química entre ellos. Rápidamente el rey pidió la mano de la archiduquesa al hermano de esta, Rodolfo II de Habsburgo y tras algunas negociaciones que duraron un año, el emperador acepto que su hermana se casase con Enrique.

Enrique IX e Isabel se casaron en 1579 en Moulins durante su estancia en Navarra con unos pocos invitados, entre ellos los reyes de Navarra Enrique III y Catalina Tudor la cual le entrego a su nueva cuñada un collar de diamantes como regalo de bodas. Isabel se quedo embarazada en su luna de miel, es por ello que Enrique decidió que partirían hacia Inglaterra para que fuese coronada como Reina consorte de Inglaterra.

A principios del 1580 Enrique IX e Isabel llegaron a Inglaterra y pocos meses después se celebro una segunda boda donde Isabel fue coronada como Reina consorte de Inglaterra y esta adopto a los hijos que tuvo Enrique de su primer matrimonio a los cuales crío como sus propios hijos. Los reyes mantuvieron un matrimonio muy feliz destacando Enrique como un marido fiel, amoroso y coqueto con su segunda esposa. Isabel le dio a su marido 6 hijos a su marido:

Isabel Catalina (1580-1655) Fue reina consorte de Navarra al casarse con su primo Enrique IV. La pareja fue feliz y tuvieron 4 hijos en común: Isabel María, Juan II, Enriqueta y Antonio.

Ricardo de Somerset (1581-1620) Fue Duque de Somerset ostentando este titulo tras la caída del anterior Duque Edward Seymour. Ricardo se caso con Elizabeth Howard y tuvieron 2 hijas: Margarita Ana y Felipa

Maximiliano de Richmond (1582-1645) Fue Duque de Richmond y regente de su medio hermano Enrique X y del hijo de este Enrique XI de Inglaterra. Se caso con Luisa Juliana del Palatinado y tuvieron 7 hijos: Carolina, Marcela, Maximiliano, María Ana, Ernesto, Sofía y Margarita.

María Ana (1584-1660) Fue reina consorte de Escocia al casarse con el príncipe Enrique Federico Estuardo el futuro Enrique I Federico de Escocia que era casi 10 años mas joven que ella. Su matrimonio no se consumo hasta 1610 y la pareja tuvo 3 hijos en común: Jacobo VII, Carlos y Barbara.

Margarita (1586-1619) Fue Marquesa de Hamilton y después Duquesa de Ross al casarse con James Hamilton, que se convirtió en el favorito de la reina María I Estuardo. La pareja no fue feliz, aun que llegaron a tener 5 hijos: James, Victoria, Renata, María Margarita y George. Falleció a los 33 años de edad por la viruela.

Felipe (1587-1670) Fue cardenal y escritor controversial por sus ideas liberales a cerca sobre la religión protestante, la corrupción en Roma y su desacuerdo ante el Papa Paulo V. Fue el hijo mas longevo del rey, falleciendo a los 83 años de edad.

Enrique IX fue un rey apreciado por una gran parte del pueblo y su reinado destaco por buscar la paz entre la nobleza, el pueblo y otras casas reales. Por ello apoyo a la reina María Estuardo cuando esta se había casado con su tercer marido James Hepburn y tenia muchos frentes abiertos en Escocia. El rey decidió proponerle a su prima lejana la posibilidad de mantener su corona y la custodia de sus hijos si se divorciaba de su marido para contraer un matrimonio ventajoso, algo que la reina acabo por aceptar y se caso con el archiduque de Austria Ernesto de Austria.

También se sabe que acepto que la exiliada reina Jane Grey regresara a Inglaterra y de darle el Ducado de Suffolk que le pertenecía por derecho propio. Aquellos acuerdos de paz exitosos le valieron el apodo del “Pacificador” y se gano el respeto de algunos nobles que en un principio estaban en su contra. Pese a esto el rey no era un hombre muy confiado y temía ser envenenado en cualquier momento, es por ello que tenia sus cocineros y sirvientes de confianza.

Enrique siempre honro la memoria de su madre y de su abuela materna es por ello que decidió que ambas debían ser enterradas juntas en la Abadía de Westminster donde también decidió enterrar los restos mortales de las esposas que tuvo su fallecido abuelo Enrique VIII pensando que debían de tener un entierro digno por haber sido reinas.

Durante sus últimos años su salud se fue deteriorando y solían practicarle sangrías que lo debilitaron aun mas conforme pasaba el tiempo. Enrique decidió dictar su testamento donde pidió ser enterrado junto a sus familiares en Westminster y llevarse a la tumba los retratos de su esposa e hijos, también le heredo a cada uno de sus hijos y a su segunda esposa una cuantiosa herencia.

Enrique IX de Inglaterra falleció en 1610 a los 56 años de edad y tras haber reinado durante 32 años. Se dice que falleció mientras abrazaba a su esposa Isabel de Austria que quedo desolada con su muerte y se entrego a la religión tras quedar viuda por segunda vez. El rey fue enterrado en la Abadía de Westminster junto a su madre y donde tiempo después serían enterrados su esposa e hijos.

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙻𝙳𝚁𝙴𝙽 𝙾𝙵 𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙻𝙸𝙿 𝙸𝙸 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙿𝙰𝙸𝙽- 𝙷𝙴𝙽𝚁𝚈 𝙸𝚇 𝙾𝙵 𝙴𝙽𝙶𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙳

Henry was the first son of Queen María I of England and then Prince of Asturias Felipe of Austria. His mother was 38 years old when she gave birth to him, her birth being a miracle and a great joy for Catholics in England. However, his birth also caused great tensions between Catholics and Protestants who did not want a Catholic king on the throne, the preferred half sister of his mother, Isabel Tudor who was a Protestant.

These tensions increased when his sister Catherine was born a year later due to the fact that both brothers definitively separated their maternal aunt from the successor line. Despite these tensions and religious conflicts, Henry had a happy childhood and was very close to his mother and sister with whom he shared an education based on laws, history, religion and manners. His father Philip II of Spain was never interested in him or Catherine, which is why Henry never showed interest in the kingdom of Spain in addition to maintaining numerous tensions with his half-brothers.

The Prince of Wales was a breath of fresh air for his mother Mary I of England and it is said that this calmed the outbursts of anger that his mother had, in addition to the fact that the queen became a calmer woman and her image of a bloodthirsty queen became she dispersed, becoming a serene, strict woman who sought not to put her feelings before the government.

In 1558 his parents divorced by mutual agreement and the princes adopted the surname Tudor, in addition to staying with their mother while his father returned to Spain to make his own life for him. Despite the divorce of his parents, Henry and Catherine continued to be seen as the heirs of the English crown, and his life remained the same with his mother.

In 1569, Queen Mary I of England began to have various health problems and she remained in bed for several days. During her illness, the queen, fearing for her end, decided to declare her son of legal age and left Henry the task of finding a good compromise for her sister. Mary I of England died that same due to an alleged ovarian cancer and her death was deeply felt by her children who kept a 5-month mourning for her beloved mother.

Henry was quickly crowned at St James's Palace in London as Henry IX of England and was declared of age at nearly 15 years of age. After being crowned, one of the first decisions he made was to send for his aunt, Isabel Tudor, and it is said that at that meeting the princess agreed to resign from the English throne in exchange for large sums of money and to carry the title of Duchess of Leicester. .

After this negotiation Henry decided to accept religious freedom despite being a devout Catholic, due to the numerous religious confrontations in England and caused by his accession to his throne. That decision brought him some tensions with the papacy and kingdoms like Spain did not approve of that freedom of worship.

The king decided to marry his sister Catherine to Prince Henry of Navarre, heir to the Navarrese throne as a way to establish good relations with royal families and Protestant nobles. After this, Henry's favorites looked for a wife for him and he chose a French wife, the chosen one being the beautiful Louise de Lorena-Vaudémont, daughter of the Duke of Mercoeur and a relative of the Dukes of Lorraine.

The couple married in 1570 and it is known that Henry was very fond of his wife whom he affectionately called "Isa." The kings maintained a stable and happy marriage, in addition to having 4 children in common:

Edward VII (1571-1621) He was King of England between 1610 and 1621 being considered a king who was not interested in the government and preferred to be focused on his great library. He did not marry by choice and had no children. He passed away at the age of 50 and would be succeeded by his brother Henry X.

Henry X (1572-1643) He was King of England between 1621 and 1643 after succeeding his older brother. By that time he was already married to Isabel of Denmark and they had 6 children: Anne Elizabeth, Henry XI, Inés, Victoria, Edward and Edmund. His reign stood out for establishing a short peace with Rome and ending the wars of religion. However, he died at the age of 71 before reaching this last goal.

Louise (1574-1649) she was Grand Duchess consort of Tuscany by marrying her cousin, Philip I of Tuscany. The couple had a good relationship and Luisa gave her husband 8 children: Luisa, Felipe II, Olga, Francisco II, Juana, Virginia, Cosme and Guillermo. After being widowed in 1630, she remained away from the governorship and died at the age of 75.

Mary Frances (1575-1611) she was Duchess consort of Suffolk when she married her cousin Edward Dudley, son of Jane Grey and Guilford Dudley. The dukes did not have a good relationship due to the arrogance of Mary Frances, but they ended up having 3 children: Edward, Henrietta and Elizabeth. Mary Frances died a year after her father at the age of 36 due to tuberculosis.

In 1576 Queen Louise of Lorraine-Vaudémont died due to an abortion and her death, very painful for Henry, who established a 5-month mourning for his deceased wife.

After this Henry met in 1577 with his sister, the new queen of Navarre Catherine on the border of Navarre and there both brothers had an emotional reunion, in addition to entering into some agreements with the kingdom of France. The king supported the inheritance rights of the young princess Marie Elisabeth of Valois, daughter of King Charles IX of France and that she married one of her paternal cousins ​​to ensure the lineage of the House of Valois.

During these negotiations, the widowed queen of France, Elisabeth of Austria returned to the French court in 1578 after being thrown out by her former mother-in-law Catherine de’ Medici. Henry was enchanted by the appearance of the widowed queen, considering her as one of the most beautiful and elegant women in Europe, for her part, Isabel considered the English king as an attractive, intelligent and calm young man, having great chemistry between them. The king quickly asked the archduchess's hand from her brother, Rudolf II of Habsburg, and after some negotiations that lasted a year, the emperor accepted that her sister marry Henry.

Henry IX and Isabel were married in 1579 in Moulins during their stay in Navarre with a few guests, among them the kings of Navarre Henry III and Catherine Tudor, who gave his new sister-in-law a diamond necklace as a wedding gift. Isabel got pregnant on her honeymoon, which is why Enrique decided that they would leave for England so that she would be crowned Queen consort of England.

At the beginning of 1580, Henry IX and Elisabeth arrived in England and a few months later a second wedding took place where Elizabeth was crowned Queen consort of England and she adopted the children that Henry had from his first marriage, whom she raised as her own children. . The kings maintained a very happy marriage, highlighting Henry as a faithful, loving and flirtatious husband with his second wife. Isabel bore her husband 6 children to her husband:

Elizabeth Catherine (1580-1655) She was queen consort of Navarre when she married her cousin Henry IV. The couple was happy and they had 4 children in common: Elizabeth Mary, John II, Henrietta and Anthony.

Richard of Somerset (1581-1620) He was Duke of Somerset holding this title after the fall of the previous Duke Edward Seymour. Ricardo married Elizabeth Howard and they had 2 daughters: Margaret Anne and Philippa

Maximilian of Richmond (1582-1645) was Duke of Richmond and regent of the half brother of Henry X and of the son of this Enrique XI of England. He married Louise Juliane of Palatinado and they had 7 children: Caroline, Marcela, Maximilian, Mary Anne, Ernest, Sophie and Margaret.

Mary Anne (1584-1660) She was queen consort of Scotland when she married Prince Henry Frederick Stuart the future Henry I Frederick of Scotland who was almost 10 years younger than her. Their marriage was not consumed until 1610 and the couple had 3 children in common: James VII, Charles and Barbara.

Margaret (1586-1619) she was the Marchioness of Hamilton and later Duchess of Ross by marrying James Hamilton, who became the favorite of Queen Mary I Stuart. The couple was not happy, even though they had 5 children: James, Victoria, Renee, Mary Margaret and George. She passed away at 33 years of age from smallpox.

Philip (1587-1670) He was a cardinal and controversial writer for his liberal ideas about the Protestant religion, corruption in Rome and his disagreement with Pope Paul V. He was the oldest son of the king, passing away at 83 years of age.

Henry IX was a king appreciated by a large part of the people and his reign stood out for seeking peace between the nobility, the people and other royal houses. That is why he supported Queen Mary Stuart when she had married her third husband James Hepburn and had many open fronts in Scotland. The king decided to propose to his distant cousin the possibility of keeping his crown and the custody of their children if she divorced her husband to contract an advantageous marriage, something that the queen ended up accepting and married the Archduke of Austria Ernest of Austria . It is also known that he agreed to allow the exiled Queen Jane Grey to return to England and to give her the Duchy of Suffolk that belonged to him in her own right. Those successful peace accords earned him the nickname of the "Peacemaker" and he earned the respect of some nobles who were initially against him. Despite this the king was not a very trusting man and he feared being poisoned at any moment, that is why he had the chefs and trusted servants of him.

Henry always honored the memory of his mother and his maternal grandmother that is why he decided that both should be buried together in Westminster Abbey where he also decided to bury the mortal remains of the wives that his deceased grandfather Henry VIII had, thinking that they should have have a dignified burial for having been queens.

During his last years his health was deteriorating and they used to practice bloodletting that weakened him even more as time passed. Henry decided to dictate his will where he asked to be buried with his relatives in Westminster and to take to the grave the portraits of his wife and children, he also inherited each of his children and the second wife of him a large inheritance.

Henry IX of England died in 1610 at 56 years of age and after reigning for 32 years. It is said that he died while embracing his wife Elisabeth of Austria who was devastated by her death and gave himself up to religion after being a widow for the second time. The king was buried in Westminster Abbey with his mother and where his wife and children would later be buried.