Before we begin this tale, one that concerns the nature of the years 1509 and 1510 within the kingdom of England, the author of this story must first explain a few changes to the knowledge you may hold of this period. If the reader of this tale, if they so wished, picked up a book on the history of the late 15th century, then they would find it to match almost perfectly to the timeline shared by this story. Edward IV, the Yorkist king, dying before his time in his bed. His two young sons vanishing into the dark abode of the Tower, never to be seen again. Henry Tudor slaying Richard the Usurper in the bloody field of Bosworth. All of these events happened before our tale begins.
But yet our timelines split when we reach the curious year of 1502. Within the framework of this story, we only know 1502 (and for that matter, the following year of 1503) as a year of miracles for the House of Tudor. In the April of 1502, on the verge of death, Prince Arthur, eldest son of Henry Tudor, made an astonishing recovery. Just as the priest leant over the poor boy to administer the Last Rites, the prince's resolve strengthened and, within a week, he was back on his feet alongside his bride, the Spanish Princess Katherine, who too had narrowly recovered.
In London, his parents, King Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth of York, daughter of the late Edward IV, rejoiced at the news of their son's recovery. Their jubliation only increased with the news that Elizabeth, at the age of thirty-six, was with child yet again. This would be the couple's seventh child.
In the February of 1503, Elizabeth took to her confinement where a difficult birth had left both her and her newborn daughter in grave peril. Sickened with childbirth fever, Elizabeth too found herself on the brink of death but, like her son, she too recovered, more through luck than through any medicinal breakthrough. The birth had left her unable to bear more children but it had at least produced a healthy daughter, christened Eleanor by her adoring parents.
To the world outside, God had indeed blessed the Tudor family again. In recognition of this, Henry commissioned the building of a second chapel, beautifully built in the new style emerging in Europe, at Richmond Palace. This chapel was dedicated in turn to St Margaret and building finished just after it finished for the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey.
Our story now begins close to where this chapel was being constructed, within the palace at Richmond during the month of April 1509.
------------------------------------------
Author's Note: This is my first attempt at writing in literally months! For a person who loves historical accuracy, I have to admit it's more than a little strange playing around with historical events and making some people alive when, in reality, they sadly were not. This is just going to be a short story (if I hopefully can complete it what with my reoccuring bouts of writer's block), looking at the impact that could possibly happened had Arthur survived to claim the throne.
I love Elizabeth of York so, sod it, I had to have her alive as well. :P
YOU ARE READING
The Tudor Roses
Historical Fiction1509. With the death of the King Henry VII, the crown of England finds itself placed upon the head of the young man history has believed would never be king: Arthur Tudor. [Alternate History]
