HENRY IX HAS BEEN KING OF ENGLAND for just over three years, and his reign has thus far been one of moderate conflict. Religious tensions have continued to divide the young King’s land, but the blows have been minimal, and Henry and his council have managed to appease both sides to maintain a tenuous peace. Life, it seems, moves on, and the people of England find their pace under the ninth Henry’s reign. However, in the spring, an announcement is made which catches all of England by surprise, and to some, incites rage.
His Majesty, King Henry the Ninth, by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the Faith, Lord of Ireland, announces his betrothal to Her Highness Christina, the Princess of Denmark, before the eyes of God and of all the people of England.
The notion of a betrothal has been afoot for as long as anyone can remember, but the choice of bride is one that fills many with concern and others with contempt. The brides initially brought before the King were the daughters of the Catholic princes of Europe –––––– and the princess of Denmark, a Lutheran kingdom, is a momentous choice from a King who has thus far espoused Catholic ideals in his personal faith. Opponents of the match, traditional Catholics such as Thomas Howard and his faction, see the fingerprints of Thomas Cromwell and Edward Seymour all over the arrangement. It is believed that Cromwell has always favored a Protestant match, to advance his own position and views before the young King.
English Protestants take a different view, feeling that a new day is now on the horizon for their reformed faith. The divisions are stark, and in the months since the engagement, Henry’s privy council and indeed all of his court have become FRACTURED INTO FRACTIONS.
( THE MONTH IS NOW JUNE ––––––– )
THE KING’S WEDDING IS NOW imminent, and more than ever lines have been drawn in Henry IX’s court. The Princess Christina and her entourage, along with a number of Danish lords, have recently arrived in England, and some fear that the Danish will try to sway England even more in their own favor before they depart. As wedding preparations are underway, the English court is more divided than it has been since Henry’s ascension, and the country holds its breath as it waits to see what may happen next.
Below you will find the assigned pairs for the plot drop. We encourage all members to have at least one thread between you and your partner pertaining to the events. Pairs are to remain as stated below, unless a member decides not to participate whereupon they may be adjusted, and cannot leave the rooms they are in until the lock down is over. If there are any questions please do not hesitate to ask!
Marguerite of Valois & Henry Tudor
Ellie Tallboys & Juana of Spain
Francis of France & Charles V
Henry Carey & Eleanor Brandon
Caelan Maddox & Katherine Stanley
Anna of Cleves & Felix Etienne du Vallon
Juan Alvarez & Edward Seymour
Jane Seymour & Mark Smeaton
Antoine de Conde & Francis Weston
Elena Darrell & Serge-Louis Baro
Philip Habsburg & Isabelle of Lorraine
Catherine Parr & Thomas Wyatt
Alastrine Seymour & Anne Boleyn
Grace Sherrington & Soren Feldt
George Boleyn & Grace Cromwell
James Stewart & Mary de Guise
Joanna of York & Sebastian of Portugal
Li Shi & Octavia Lennox
Elizabeth Blount & Violette de Gruchy
Amalia of Cleves & Maria of Austria
Owen Mountbatten & Sarah Talbot
Harvey de Gruchy & Thomas Cromwell
Ciaran Darcy & Mary Tudor
Edmund Fiennes & Mary Fitzroy
Bridget of York & Nicholas Seymour
Barnat Fodor & Dorothea Stewart Ruthven
Henry Fitzroy & Phillip of Warwick
Anne de Pisseleu d’Heilly & Clement Stafford
Eleanor of France & Mary Rose Tudor
Evanna Caomhanach & Elisif Almstedt
We understand that muse is a difficult thing to muster up now and again. To accompany the plot drop, we’ve written up an entirely optional writing task to flesh out your characters. Members may choose to do this either during or after the plot drop, but we do encourage that they publish their results and tag their posts with tudors.task! The assorted writing task(s) can be found below the cut.
OPTION ONE: TIMELINE.
Write a timeline of your characters’ history, including dates, births, marriages, or any significant events you wish to include in their lifetime. This can be accompanied with your characters personal feelings on certain occasions in their life, or can take the shape of something of a biography. Length is UTP; it can be as short or as verbose as you like!
small / large / average / grey / brown / blue / green / gold / hazel / doe - eyed / almond / close - set / wide - set / squinty / monolid / heavy eyelids / upturned / downturned
HAIR.
thin / thick / fine / normal / greasy / dry / soft / shiny / curly / frizzy / wild / unruly / straight / smooth / wavy / floppy / cropped / pixie - cut / shoulder length / back length / waist length / buzz cut / bald / jaw length / mohawk / white / platinum blonde / golden blonde / dirty blonde / blonde / ombre / light brown / mouse brown / chestnut brown / golden brown / chocolate brown / dark brown / jet black / ginger / auburn / dyed red / dyed an unnatural color / thin eyebrows / average eyebrows / thick eyebrows
TATTOOS / PIERCINGS
no tattoos / one tattoo / a few here and there / multiple / full sleeve / thigh tattoo / neck tattoo / chest tattoo / no piercings / ear piercings / nose piercing / lip piercing / tongue piercing / eyebrow piercing / navel piercing / cheek piercing / nipple piercing / genital piercing
.HEAR YE ! a warning is issued throughout hampton court ordering all members of nobility .&. household staff to remain indoors, as guards invade the grounds of the palace and bar any entrance and exit. nobles are told to stay where they are, unable to leave –––– some in solitude, others accompanied by peers. the king is alive, long live the king.
THE BLOODY BANQUET.
THE MOST COVERT WEAPONS are oft the deadliest – though this adage is one that has prevailed throughout history as famously as liberty and anarchy and as dreaded as the plague, the invisible attempt made on King Henry’s life did not reach its desired end on the evening of 1 February 1536. A mere fortnight in advance of the highly anticipated Valentine’s Day celebrations that are set to lavish Hampton Court, the king hosts a banquet in honor of London’s bountiful midwinter harvest – inviting a bevy of seasoned courtiers, musicians, and politicans to relish in the sumptuous event and to wax lyrical the new king’s favorability.
The evening was akin to a Greek memoir: equipped with dancing, intrigue, the currying of favor and in true Tudor fashion a prolific feast laden with expensive meats and exotic delicacies not only satisfy His Majesty, but to rouse his guests – especially those impertinent foreign dignities who would write to their countries’ head-figures that evening with a fusion of envy and awe in their penmanship.The event was marked with England’s newfound appreciation for epicureanism; a life-long service to the extravagant and decadent witnessed in tales of old, a projection of both wealth and power that has become so vital to the crown’s revered endurance. Yet one gilded goblet in particular threatened to wreak havoc on the event, and the English isle itself.
Spiced wine, a reported favourite of the king’s, had been stirred with a mixture of aqua tofana, a poison concocted in the underbelly of the Italian court – supplied with a content of bane so potent that one whiff of its blend could lead to irreversible damage in the strongest of stallions. The chalice was presented to the king and the noxious scarlet liquid swirling within beckoned the king’s cupbearer to step into the crosshairs of a deadly attempt. Within moments of sampling the toxic brew, a clatter resonated throughout the ballroom portending a fatal result –––––––– and with the cup still firmly lodged within his hand Sir Frances Bryan was pronounced dead in the waning hours of the morning, his mouth wine-stained and curled into a cheshire cat grin. News of Bryan’s death sent waves of panic throughout London, a city unwilling to usher in a new king in the wake of beloved King Henry VIII’s death, as the perpetrator of Bryan’s death went undetected, sheathed in the anonymity of the majestic English court.
HAMPTON COURT.
HAMPTON COURT DOES NOT REPLY lightly to the assassination attempt. In an extreme effort to weed out the perpetrator from the fields of London, a temporary lock down is placed on the noble wings of Hampton Court; as the investigation ensues, no one is allowed to enter or exit the castle for fear of collusion –––– only those guards complicit in the investigation are allowed egress from their designated rooms. A warning is issued throughout the halls ordering all members of nobility and household staff to remain where they are as guards comb through the grounds with a fine-tooth comb.
if you would like your character to be involved in the assassination attempt, please message the main & admin clau and nina will discuss it !
this event will last from august 6th to august 10th, and covers four days roleplay time, from february 1 to february 4. characters will be paired together and due to the lockdown, members cannot write event-related threads with anyone but their partner until after the drop is over (although pre-existing threads are allowed to be continued!). let the drama ensue !
we will be posting a list of pairs immediately after the event is dropped.
NOTE TO ALL MEMBERS: You may continue any existing threads however we ask that no new starters are posted during this event unless they pertain to the plot drop itself. Please discuss any major plots with the admins beforehand. Remember all starters must be tagged with #tudors.event002 in addition to the general starter tag. Most importantly, have fun! Please like this post once you have seen it, thank you. There will be no activity checks during this time.
