TLIAW: Steadfast in Loyalty: The Story of Prince Rupert, the Cavalier Elector

[Gwrtheyrn Annwn]

Steadfast in Loyalty:
The Story of Prince Rupert, the Cavalier Elector​

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What's this then?
What it says on the tin! A TLIAW covering an alternate life of Prince Rupert, everyone's favourite cavalier.

A TLIAW? Didn't people stop writing those years ago?
Well, maybe... But I had an idea and this seemed the best way to write it.

Speaking of the idea, isn't the 17th century a bit off base for you?
I admit its not the Medieval era or the Tudors, but there's nothing wrong with shaking things up a bit.

Ok, what can the readers expect then?
A short TL, written as 7 chapters in the style of a series of biographical articles covering the life and legacy of Prince Rupert.

But what is there to write, surely a slightly changed life of a civil war general is a bit niche?
Oh ye of little faith! One POD and a few butterflies (and butterfly nets) and Rupert is one of the most interesting figures of the 17th century.

Well I guess we'll see, when does this start?
Right now!

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Part the First: Le Diable​

The young Prince Rupert
​

On a misty July evening, the dead and dying littered a windswept moor but amongst all the death, one still living young man was sat. Few would have guessed that that young man, of 24 years but appearing much younger with a fresh face and faintest hint of a moustache on his upper lip, who was cradling the body of a white hunting poodle would die at the age of 62, having sat on three European thrones and having been a prominent patron of the arts and science.

===​

That young man’s story had begun in the depths of a Bohemian winter in the city of Prague, but Prague was no more his home than a Yorkshire moor. His parents were Elizabeth Stuart, a Princess of England, and the Elector Palatine Frederick V and by rights he should have been born in Heidelberg and his childhood should not only have been uneventful but also luxurious for his father’s lands possessed rather more wealth than their small size might have suggested. What is more, as third son of the Elector Palatine’s he would have lived a carefree life of hunting, socialising and the occasional bit of warfare at any other time in the Palatinate-Simmern family’s history. Unfortunately for the newborn Prince, however, this was not a normal time for the Elector Palatine and his family, as the very location of his birth was proof of.

That story really began in Bohemia where, after years of Habsburg rule, the predominantly Protestant Bohemian nobility had finally lost patience with their Catholic masters and, in the second such incident to take place in Prague, had begun a rebellion by throwing the two Imperial governors of Bohemia out of the windows of the Bohemian Chancellery. This action had not only launched the Bohemian Revolt, but, as an elective monarchy, left the Bohemians in need of a new monarch. Three months later, having been rejected by their first choice, John George I, Elector of Saxony, the Bohemian Confederacy elected the next best option from the Protestant Prince of the Empire, the Elector Palatine, as their King, a decision that would precipitate religious war across the Holy Roman Empire.

The Elector Palatine would be informed of his election two days later after the fact and a month after that, having received assurances of support from the Protestant Union, but notably not his fellow Protestant Elector of Saxony, and the Dutch Republic, the Republic of Venice, Denmark, and Sweden, he travelled to Prague where he would arrive to be greeted enthusiastically by crowds of cheering Bohemians, and two months later the his third son was born on the 17th December, a son he would christen Rupert and who would be made Prince of Lusatia at a few days old. Life as the Prince of Lusatia would last less than a year, before Frederick V’s defeat by Habsburg forces at the Battle of White Mountain that would force him and his court to flee Prague. Their flight was little better than a disorderly evacuation as the Imperial army marched on the city and it was only the presence of mind of one of Frederick V’s Bohemian courtiers that saved the young Prince from falling into the Emperor’s hands.

The young Rupert’s childhood from then on was turbulent and unhappy. Having been forced to retreat Bohemia, Frederick V sent his wife and four young children to stay with his mother’s family at The Hague in the Dutch Republic whilst he continued to fight for his Bohemian crown. Rupert’s life in The Hague was spent in the Wassenaer Court, ostensibly with his mother, but in truth Elizabeth had little interest in her children, preferring the company of her pet monkeys and dogs, and left Rupert and his siblings in the care of a French couple. Though they did at least pay attention to the Palatinate-Simmern children, Monsieur and Madame de Plessen were harsh governors and imposed a strict school routine, a routine that Rupert would frequently rebel against, resulting in a childhood nickname of ‘le Diable’. Despite his wild nature and then resulting reputation, Rupert would actually prove to be a capable student, foreshadowing his patronage of the arts and sciences as a monarch, and would grow up very close to his younger brother Maurice, a relationship that would continue into adulthood.

===​

In the meantime, Prince Frederick V continued his efforts to reclaim not only Bohemia, but by now also the Palatinate, which had been taken by Imperial forces in 1624. As part of his efforts to recruit support for his cause, Frederick V would visit the Dutch court on several occasions and one such visit resulted in what, perhaps surprisingly, was the most significant event of Prince Rupert’s childhood, the death of his eldest brother Prince Frederick Henry who drowned in the Haarlemmermeer when Rupert was only 10 years old. This tragic event would ultimately have significant long term repercussions as they put Rupert second in line to the thrones of both the Palatinate and Bohemia. The death of his eldest son was a particularly bitter blow to Frederick V himself, not least because he had also suffered serious injuries when his boat had capsized, injuries he would not fully recover from for nearly two years, leaving both him and his family on the brink of disaster.

The Elector himself was grievously injured, his heir was dead, both his domains were under Imperial occupation, the Protestant Union had been beaten back and his other allies were faltering. In short, as the 1630s began Prince Rupert was a stateless teenager living on the generosity of family.

 

[Valena]

If any advice/feedback is needed, just call!
Resident Rupert fangirl is very pleased already

 

[TimTurner]

what is the likeliest immediate changes caused by the POD?

 

[Valena]

The PoD is Frederick V being injured in this crash as well (in OTL he survived - physically - OK, though was mentally scarred), so he did not die his OTL death from disease and 1630ies campaign is different, so it's Karl Ludwig getting captured (and probably KIA) instead of OTL Rupert's Linz imprisonment?
Did I guess this right?

 

[Gwrtheyrn Annwn]

what is the likeliest immediate changes caused by the POD?

Immediate changes will be limited, essentially just the Protestant cause is more successful ITTL.

The PoD is Frederick V being injured in this crash as well (in OTL he survived - physically - OK, though was mentally scarred), so he did not die his OTL death from disease and 1630ies campaign is different, so it's Karl Ludwig getting captured (and probably KIA) instead of OTL Rupert's Linz imprisonment?
Did I guess this right?

The 1630s campaign will go differently yes, but I don't want to reveal too many details.

 

[Valena]

The 1630s campaign will go differently yes, but I don't want to reveal too many details.

I will be eagerly waiting!

 

[Droman]

Interesting. Rupert is the sort of charming Warrior prince that can be so enjoyable in AH attempts.

 

[Gwrtheyrn Annwn]

Part the Second: The Boy Soldier​

Prince Rupert in a soldier's uniform​

Salvation for the Palatine-Simmern family, and the indeed the Protestant cause, came on the 20th July 1630 when the first Swedish army, with Gustavus Adolphus at its head, landed in Pomerania and came to the aid of the Protestant Princes. The Swedish armies marched southwards in force, driving back Imperial armies at every turn as the Emperor first dismissed his Bohemian ally, Albrecht von Wallenstein, and floundered to try and resist the Swedish onslaught.

===​

For Frederick V, Swedish intervention was a personal triumph after his efforts to recruit Gustavus Adolphus to his cause. He had been so successful in fact, that he and the Swedish King had established a close rapport and Frederick V had secured support from Gustavus Adolphus for his restoration, but there was one problem, this support was conditional on the Dutch and English joining the war. Thus, whilst Gustavus Adolphus and his men continued to fight the Imperial armies, defeating them at the Battle of Breitenfeld in September and capturing Oppenheim in December, Frederick V’s three eldest sons, Charles Louis, Rupert and Maurice, travelled to the court of their uncle Charles I in England. They were welcomed there in January 1632 with full royal honours and spent the year in London.

By the end of the year though, the family’s fortunes had declined once more. After Gustavus Adolphus’ victories, Frederick V had returned to Heidelberg to re-establish his court as Elector Palatine and then travelled on to Frankfurt to meet with the Swedish King again. Whilst at Frankfurt, a message arrived from England that King Charles I was going to send an English expeditionary force ostensibly to aid the Protestant cause but it was clear that Charles I’s support was based around restoring his brother-in-law. Nonetheless, this proved enough to convince Gustavus Adolphus to support Frederick V’s restoration as Elector Palatine and King of Bohemia, on one condition, that Frederick V have equal rights for Lutherans in his lands, a condition that Frederick V reluctantly agreed to for the simple reason that he had no other choice to reclaim his lands. This was a major step forward but things took a turn for the worse when Frederick V, who had never really recovered from his injuries, died from pneumonia in Heidelberg.

Frederick V’s death threw the Palatine-Simmern family into disarray, the 15 year-old Charles Louis was now Elector-Palatine, though the Kingdom of Bohemia was now lost to them with the kingdom under Imperial occupation, and returned from England to The Hague before travelling on to Heidelberg, where he made it his priority to meet with Gustavus Adolphus. During this meeting, the young Elector would make the same agreement with the Swedish King that his father had done and set about trying to rule the Palatinate, or what was left of it. Not long after, Prince Rupert would follow his older brother across the Channel, but he only made it as far as the Dutch Republic where he would spend time fighting with Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange and Augustus the Younger, Duke of Brunswick-Luneberg, against the Spanish Habsburg army. He would go on to spend 3 years in the Low Countries and acquired a reputation for fearlessness, high spirits and a strong work ethic, all attributes that he would show repeatedly through his military career.

===​

During Prince Rupert’s time in the Netherlands, his brother Prince Maurice had remained at court in London, receiving frequent visits from Rupert, and became the youthful figurehead for the Palatinate cause in England, a cause that was very popular among the Protestant nobility and in 1637 a public subscription fund raised money for a second expedition to support the young Elector Charles Louis. This expedition, intended to support an effort by the French who had joined the war against the Habsburgs two years previously, was led by William Craven, who had fallen in love with Prince Rupert’s mother on a previous visit to The Hague, and Prince Rupert would join the expedition to command a cavalry regiment. Despite the excitement it had caused, it was to be no more successful than the previous English expedition and would end in defeat at Vlotho, with both Lord Craven and Prince Rupert being captured by Imperial forces in the aftermath.

The pair would spend 4 years in Linz and during their imprisonment Emperor Ferdinand III would go to great lengths to try and convince Rupert to not only convert to Catholicism but join the Imperial army as a general. Despite his mother’s fears, however, Prince Rupert would actually spend those 4 years in relative comfort, befriending Archduke Leopold and enjoying the usual past-times of a nobleman, everything from drawing to hunting, accompanied by a white hunting poodle called Boy gifted to him by Archduke Leopold, the Emperor’s younger brother. There would be an attempt by Franco-Swedish army to free Rupert but in the end he would remain in Imperial custody until his release was negotiated by Archduke Leopold and Rupert formally kissed the Emperor’s hand, committed to never take up arms against the Emperor and left Germany for England once more.

 

[King_Arthur]

This is really good so far, looking forward to more.

 

[Gwrtheyrn Annwn]

Part the Third: The Cavalier​

Charles I's council of war before the Battle of Edgehill, Prince Rupert is sat at the table​

Unfortunately, Prince Rupert’s return to England, and reunion with his brother Maurice, was far from idyllic. He arrived in England in March to find London under the control of the Parliament and Charles I fled north to Nottingham, having taken his family and court, including Prince Maurice, with him. Prince Rupert narrowly avoided being captured by Parliamentary forces outside the capital and hurried north to Nottingham where he was reunited with Charles I and Prince Maurice in July. Prince Rupert would only be at the makeshift royal court for only a month before civil war, which had been threatened for so long, broke out.

===​

Parliament, tired of Charles I’s stubbornness, had issued him with a final ultimatum, an ultimatum that Charles I could never accept and he promptly raised his royal standard in Nottingham. Prince Rupert, as an experienced soldier well-versed in the modern techniques of warfare from his time on the continent, was quickly made General of the Horse, with Prince Maurice as his aide de camp. Despite Prince Rupert’s obvious qualifications, and indeed subsequent success as a general, would be dogged throughout the civil war by rumours that his position was solely based on his family connection to the King. Undeterred, Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice set about putting together a proper cavalry force, managing to train some 3000 men to an acceptable standard. He would lead his men with distinction in the opening engagements of the war, becoming a dashing hero of the Royalist rank and file.

His first major campaign of the civil war, however, would be King Charles’ march on London. Parliament naturally hurried their army to block try and block the Royalist advance and the two armies would meet in the field outside Stratford-on-Avon. The resultant battle was fiercely fought but ultimately inconclusive despite Prince Rupert’s best efforts as a cavalry commander. Unfortunately, however, the stalemate brought out of the worst in Prince Rupert as he fell out with Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey, the Royalist infantry commander over the deployment of the Royalist infantry. Prince Rupert was most likely in the right, but he demonstrated both his naivety and fiery temper that would blight his relationship with his Royalist colleagues throughout the war.

Following the Battle of Stratford-on-Avon, the Royalist army, with Prince Rupert still in command of the cavalry but with the Earl of Lindsey having been replaced by Sir Jacob Astley, split and Prince Rupert took his cavalry ahead of the main force with the aim of taking London before the Earl of Essex’s army could reach the city. Rupert certainly achieved that aim, but his cavalry met with fierce resistance from the people of London and despite defeating a makeshift militia force outside the city, his cavalry proved incapable of taking the city and Rupert was forced to camp outside the city walls and wait for Astley catch up and join the siege. Unfortunately, however, this allowed Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, who had been appointed Captain-General of the Parliamentary Forces, to march his army to London. Essex’s army, which numbered around 20,000 men, arrived before Astley’s reinforcements and despite Prince Rupert’s best efforts with his cavalry he was forced to retreat and join up with Astley’s men.

The combined army then moved to attack London again, meeting Essex at Brentford, but were defeated and driven off. This disappointing defeat ended the campaign season for 1642 and also ended any possibility of a quick victory in the civil war. It had also tarnished Prince Rupert’s reputation among his fellow officers, though it had the opposite effect on his men who saw Rupert as having been failed by the other officers, resulting in further tensions in the Royalist High Command. Nonetheless, Prince Rupert, accompanied always by Prince Maurice, enjoyed success throughout 1643 and was able to sweep Parliamentary forces from the south-west and took Bristol in July 1643. Unsurprisingly, though, Prince Rupert’s successes had earned him a new reputation, a reputation as not only the chief Royalist general but also a blood-soaked butcher. This reputation was not wholly justified given Rupert was simply using the same methods he had seen first hand in the war in Europe, but it was bad enough to make Rupert a stumbling block in any peace negotiations.

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Prince Rupert would continue to impress as a commander into 1644 but as the year wore on, Rupert would find himself increasingly mired in problems. First, he was hit by personal tragedy when his dog Boy was killed at the Battle of Marston Moor in July, robbing Rupert of his favourite companion, asides from his brother Maurice, for the past 5 years. Second, he was increasingly outmanoeuvred politically by his opponents and increasingly fell out of favour with Queen Henrietta Maria at the expense of the her favourite, George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol. King Charles would make him Duke of Cumberland and Earl of Holderness in September 1644 as reward for further victories against the forces of Parliament but as the Royalist cause steadily declined against the Parliamentary New Model Army, relations between Rupert and Charles also declined. Things came to a head in 1645 when Rupert was forced to surrender Bristol to Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron, who was the new Lord General of Parliamentary forces. Rupert, Maurice and the handful of his men who had escaped Bristol fought their way through Parliament held territory to join what was left of Charles I’s men but instead of being welcomed, Charles I greeted them coldly and, under the influence of Rupert’s enemies in the royal court, dismissed both Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice from their commands.

 

[Gwrtheyrn Annwn]

Part the Fourth: The Elector​

Wood cut of Elector Palatine Rupert IV​

After being dismissed from Charles I’s service, Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice initially remained in England, staying at a house in Woodstock for the winter, but in the spring they left the town and travelled to Italy. On the way they would spend several months in Paris at the court of the young Louis XIV., during which time the 8 year-old King would grow fond of the two Princes. They would also see their bothers Prince Edward and Prince Philip Frederick, both of whom had a made a life for themselves in France, for the first time in 5 years. Their stop in France was brought to an end in August when the royal court, driven from England after the fall of Oxford in June, arrived in St Germain. Rupert, still remorseful over his falling out with Charles I, went to meet with them but found Henrietta Maria and the Earl of Bristol still dominating the court, forcing him to move on.

The brothers then left Paris and continued on their way to Italy where they entered the service of the Most Serene Republic of Venice as mercenaries. They would fight for Venetian forces in the War of Candia, with Prince Rupert gaining his first experience of naval warfare in the process, an experience that would trigger a long standing interest. The most notable action of their time with Venice, however, was the Siege of Candia. The siege would go on to last 21 years but Rupert and Maurice were briefly involved in one of the opening skirmishes of the siege and Rupert was shot in the hand, an injury which would leave a scar for the rest of his life. Having returned to Venice to recuperate, Rupert and Maurice would receive word of the death of their brother Charles Louis, who had been Elector Palatine for some 15 years, who had died in Heidelberg from an infected wound suffered during the Siege of Brünn.

===​

Neither Rupert nor Maurice had ever been particularly fond of their brother and hadn’t seen him since he had become Elector but nonetheless Rupert was greatly saddened by Charles Louis’ death and although Rupert was now the Elector Palatine, both he and Maurice would remain in Venice until the spring. They would both leave Venice in March 1648 and travelled across the Alps, via a short stop in the Calvinist Switzerland, and down the Rhine to Heidelberg. The journey was fraught with danger as Imperial forces made several attempts to capture Rupert, who’s reputation preceded him, but a Franco-Swedish army would meet the brothers at Offenberg and escort the rest of the way to Heidelberg where Rupert was crowned as Elector Palatine.

Rupert became Elector Palatine in May and a month later a found himself leading the cavalry of a combined Protestant League army as they marched on Vienna. The army, numbering some 20,000 and led by both Gustavus Adolphus, who by now had a bad limp from a gun wound to his leg as well as several over scars and injuries acquired over the long war, and the senior French commander Antoine III, Duke of Gramont, was comprised of pretty much the last men the Protestant League could pull together and the march on Vienna was the last throw of the dice for a Protestant victory. The Imperial army, meanwhile, was in an even worse situation and could only muster 8,000 men to defend Vienna from the Protestant advance. Unsurprisingly therefore, the Imperial army remained inside Vienna’s city walls and refused to engage the numerically superior force. The resulting Siege of Vienna was both the final battle to decide the war and a sheer battle of wills between the two sides, neither of whom had any hope of raising any more men. The siege would go on to last some six months as the Imperial forces resisted fiercely and Gustavus Adolphus tried every trick in the book to try and take the city. In the end, however, the Imperial garrison, who had run out of food and exhausted of the siege, launched one last attempt to win the siege and sortied out of the city in a final desperate act. The Protestant army was initially taken by surprised and threatened to break before the attack before Gustavus Adolphus rallied his men and Rupert led his cavalry to encircle the Imperial garrison and precipitate their rout and the final capture of Vienna. The final cost for taking the city would be high, however, as first Gustavus Adolphus was struck down by a stray musket ball whilst fighting hand to hand through the streets of the city and then Prince Maurice fell from his horse and was cut down in front of St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

===​

The death of Prince Maurice, who had been by his side for nearly a decade and through three wars, so soon after the death of Charles Louis would send Rupert into downward spiral for the next few years, something only slightly tempered by the fact that the Protestant capture of Vienna had finally led to peace being agreed, a peace that saw the entirety of the Electoral Palatinate restored to Rupert and the Palatine-Simmern family and Rupert was confirmed as the Elector Palatine. Much like the rest of the HRE, Rupert would spend much of the decade that followed the end of the war recovering from it. Some took to drink, some to gambling, Rupert would throw himself into the arts, becoming a generous patron of several artists as well as producing several mezzotint works of his own.

 

[VVD0D95]

Fabulous update and big changes there. Just wanted to clarify is Charles I still alive.

 

[Gwrtheyrn Annwn]

Fabulous update and big changes there. Just wanted to clarify is Charles I still alive.

Thanks!

He was executed after a failed attempt to retake power like IOTL. Its not mentioned specifically because Rupert wasn't involved in that attempt ITTL (though it will be hinted at in a later chapter).

 

[Valena]

The death of Prince Maurice, who had been by his side for nearly a decade and through three wars, so soon after the death of Charles Louis would send Rupert into downward spiral for the next few years, something only slightly tempered by the fact that the Protestant capture of Vienna had finally led to peace being agreed, a peace that saw the entirety of the Electoral Palatinate restored to Rupert and the Palatine-Simmern family and Rupert was confirmed as the Elector Palatine. Much like the rest of the HRE, Rupert would spend much of the decade that followed the end of the war recovering from it. Some took to drink, some to gambling, Rupert would throw himself into the arts, becoming a generous patron of several artists as well as producing several mezzotint works of his own.

As Elector and with closest heir (Edward) being a Catholic, Rupert would need to marry
The OTL wife of Karl Ludwig may be shoehorned in, though I can't say I like this idea).

Finally found a part I dislike. IOTL Rupert's release from Linz was conditional on him never fighting against subjects of HRE. Unless TTL this oath never happened, it's better to avoid Linz imprisonment altogether rather than keeping Maurice to study at London instead of Paris (which contributed, frankly, nothing for further development of TL; though TTL Maurice died more heroic death than OTL death in shipwreck near Puerto Rico, he died near OTL time span nevertheless). Not a full fledged "boo" but "why give the guy completely different upbringing from OTL (Maurice in OTL studied in Paris and never visited London until Civil War) if you are going to kill him nevertheless".

Also, if Gustavus Adolphus continued his plundering for fun and lulzies way up through 1630ies, many German princes would be disillusioned with him. It's just that this attitude does not actually endears landed lords of Empire to Swedish King, and Rupert (especially worn down by CW experience) is not the person to go "lulz, Gustavus Adolphus is the awesomest hero of my childhood, the oaths to dirty Papists mean nothing if I can help him", because if things continue as OTL this pedestal is going to be dented a little bit.

In short:

• Linz imprisonment added nothing to the plot other than added complication of psychological loyalties conflict for Rupert. He can still get Boye without getting there; friendship with Archduke Leopold was mentioned, but "Angel" played no role whatsoever in further plot. Unless this is going to be mentioned later on.
  
• Death of Maurice. Pointless tear jerker. Can a guy live happily ever after at least in this TL?

 

[Gwrtheyrn Annwn]

As Elector and with closest heir (Edward) being a Catholic, Rupert would need to marry
The OTL wife of Karl Ludwig may be shoehorned in, though I can't say I like this idea).

Finally found a part I dislike. IOTL Rupert's release from Linz was conditional on him never fighting against subjects of HRE. Unless TTL this oath never happened, it's better to avoid Linz imprisonment altogether rather than keeping Maurice to study at London instead of Paris (which contributed, frankly, nothing for further development of TL; though TTL Maurice died more heroic death than OTL death in shipwreck near Puerto Rico, he died near OTL time span nevertheless). Not a full fledged "boo" but "why give the guy completely different upbringing from OTL (Maurice in OTL studied in Paris and never visited London until Civil War) if you are going to kill him nevertheless".

Also, if Gustavus Adolphus continued his plundering for fun and lulzies way up through 1630ies, many German princes would be disillusioned with him. It's just that this attitude does not actually endears landed lords of Empire to Swedish King, and Rupert (especially worn down by CW experience) is not the person to go "lulz, Gustavus Adolphus is the awesomest hero of my childhood, the oaths to dirty Papists mean nothing if I can help him", because if things continue as OTL this pedestal is going to be dented a little bit.

In short:

• Linz imprisonment added nothing to the plot other than added complication of psychological loyalties conflict for Rupert. He can still get Boye without getting there; friendship with Archduke Leopold was mentioned, but "Angel" played no role whatsoever in further plot.
• Death of Maurice. Pointless tear jerker. Can a guy live happily ever after at least in this TL?

First, thanks for the detailed response!

Now to answer your queries.

Rupert will be marrying, his wife to be revealed in tomorrow's chapter.

I kept Linz for the Boye story. Yes, he could have got the dog another way but I felt it was note fitting for Boye to have been a gift from the people he would ultimately have to fight. Now, I admit that I'm slightly bending things by having Rupert fight despite having sworn an oath not to fight the Emperor, but I felt both Linz and his involvement in the final Protestant were important elements. This of course requires an in-universe justification, namely that, having become Elector, Rupert felt a sense of duty both to his people, his family and most importantly his father to fight for them. Admittedly, this makes him an oath breaker but the Emperor he swore the oath to (Ferdinand II) is dead so that does mitigate it somewhat.

Maurice dying was a tough decision in all honesty. I was split on whether or not he should live but ultimately I decided Maurice dying left more possibilities than his survival and allowed for the bittersweet ending to that last chapter.

Lastly, Gustavus Adolphus, as mentioned he was injured during the war (the alternate incident at Lutzen essentially) and the idea is that both these injuries and years of warfare mellowed him. In an ideal world I would have fleshed out the things going on behind the scenes of Rupert's life but sadly that wasn't possible in this TL.

 

[Valena]

Admittedly, this makes him an oath breaker but the Emperor he swore the oath to (Ferdinand II) is dead so that does mitigate it somewhat.

He swore the oath to Ferdinand III IOTL. Ferdinand II died in 1637, the year before Linz imprisonment happened. Thus making a person an actual oathbreaker, ruining a friendship etc all to have him to keep a nice dog sounded a bit farfetched to me.
Lord Arundel was one of the friends of Queen of Bohemia, so a dog could have been granted while still in the Netherlands.

And just having Ferdinand II live longer does not add anything to this. If anything, he was influenced by old Elector of Bavaria, who would gladly see Rupert executed rather than enjoying comfortable imprisonment. It was the fact that Ferdinand III listened more to his brother and his wife than to his brother-in-law whom he found repulsive, which allowed Rupert to be released on OTL terms.

 

[perdu42]

The pair would spend 4 years in Linz and during their imprisonment Emperor Ferdinand III would go to great lengths to try and convince Rupert to not only convert to Catholicism but join the Imperial army as a general. Despite his mother’s fears, however, Prince Rupert would actually spend those 4 years in relative comfort, befriending Archduke Leopold and enjoying the usual past-times of a nobleman, everything from drawing to hunting, accompanied by a white hunting poodle called Boy gifted to him by Archduke Leopold, the Emperor’s younger brother. There would be an attempt by Franco-Swedish army to free Rupert but in the end he would remain in Imperial custody until his release was negotiated by Archduke Leopold and Rupert formally kissed the Emperor’s hand, committed to never take up arms against the Emperor and left Germany for England once more.

Admittedly, this makes him an oath breaker but the Emperor he swore the oath to (Ferdinand II) is dead so that does mitigate it somewhat.

Looks like he is an oathbreaker!

ADDED: BTW, very enjoyable TL.

 

[Valena]

The brothers then left Paris and continued on their way to Italy where they entered the service of the Most Serene Republic of Venice as mercenaries. They would fight for Venetian forces in the War of Candia, with Prince Rupert gaining his first experience of naval warfare in the process, an experience that would trigger a long standing interest. The most notable action of their time with Venice, however, was the Siege of Candia. The siege would go on to last 21 years but Rupert and Maurice were briefly involved in one of the opening skirmishes of the siege and Rupert was shot in the hand, an injury which would leave a scar for the rest of his life. Having returned to Venice to recuperate, Rupert and Maurice would receive word of the death of their brother Charles Louis, who had been Elector Palatine for some 15 years, who had died in Heidelberg from an infected wound suffered during the Siege of Brünn.

Now, Rupert and Maurice entering Venetian service instead of Philippe (who did OTL and uneventfully) is a good development.
I have already pointed my attitude to the rest

 

[isabella]

He swore the oath to Ferdinand III IOTL. Ferdinand II died in 1637, the year before Linz imprisonment happened. Thus making a person an actual oathbreaker, ruining a friendship etc all to have him to keep a nice dog sounded a bit farfetched to me.
Lord Arundel was one of the friends of Queen of Bohemia, so a dog could have been granted while still in the Netherlands.

And just having Ferdinand II live longer does not add anything to this. If anything, he was influenced by old Elector of Bavaria, who would gladly see Rupert executed rather than enjoying comfortable imprisonment. It was the fact that Ferdinand III listened more to his brother and his wife than to his brother-in-law whom he found repulsive, which allowed Rupert to be released on OTL terms.

Well Valena, the Rupert who made that oath was neither the Elector or expected to inheriting the Electorate... As Elector he is in a much different position than that of Prince and military commander so his actions are pretty excusable... Plus I am wrong or the war between the Emperor and the Protestant Princes had started well before Rupert became Elector and Palatinate was already involved? So he was forced to choose between abandoning the allies of his state or breaking that oath... In both cases he would have done something of negative and as Elector the interests of Palatinate came before an oath made as private person...

 

[Valena]

Well Valena, the Rupert who made that oath was neither the Elector or expected to inheriting the Electorate... As Elector he is in a much different position than that of Prince and military commander so his actions are pretty excusable... Plus I am wrong or the war between the Emperor and the Protestant Princes had started well before Rupert became Elector and Palatinate was already involved? So he was forced to choose between abandoning the allies of his state or breaking that oath... In both cases he would have done something of negative and as Elector the interests of Palatinate came before an oath made as private person...

Well, I can agree to this. Objections lifted