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Meet the Famous Geoffrey of Anjou

Geoffrey of Anjou was the eldest son of The Duke of Anjou. From the time he was a young child, it was clear he was something special. It was as though the boy had the golden touch - everything he turned his hand to was an instant success. As he grew older, Geoffrey’s skill set developed. He was a keen strategist, and a talented swordsman, and it was only natural that he seek a career in the military.

Geoffrey quickly rose through the ranks, going from knight to commander fairly swiftly. After a number of stunning battle victories in quick succession, he became renowned throughout France, and admired by most - except those who looked upon him with envy. 

Geoffrey was well known for having a strong sense of justice. He played by the rules, treated his enemies well, and didn’t resort to dirty tactics. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of his enemies. Geoffrey was still a young man when an assassin broke into his bed chamber, and slit his throat as he slept. 

After his death, France went into a state of mourning. Still today, he is remembered as a hero. Geoffrey left behind one daughter. As his own father outlived him, she went on to become the next Duchess of Anjou in her own right. Through his daughter, he is the great-great-grandfather of Agnes Leduc.

Meet the Infamous Eleanor du Bellay

The notorious Eleanor du Bellay was an incredibly vain woman, renowned for her beauty, in particular her golden hair that was never cut throughout her lifetime. One of the most desirable women in France, Eleanor had high hopes for her life, including a lofty ambition to be Queen. Eventually, she was married to the Duke of Anjou. By all accounts, this was a solid match for Eleanor. Her father was a noble of littler importance, and the Duke was a cousin to the King and of a far higher standing than she. But she was not queen - and what was worse, her husband was a well-known philanderer. 

Eleanor took her marriage as a personal insult, and grew bitter and twisted as a result. If she could not have what she wanted, she would seek revenge on those who stood in her way. Her first victim was her own sister, and her father’s favoured child. After that, it was as though her thirst for blood could not be sated. The bulk of her victims were women who caught her husband’s wandering eyes.

Meet the Famous Antonio Sousa

Antonio Sousa was born by the side of the sea. It was in his blood, and for him, there was never any alternative. He was still young when he left home to become a cabin boy, but what began as an honest career soon descended into a life of criminality - piracy. 

Though a criminal, and wanted by the Portuguese crown, tales of Antonio’s exploits made it back to the mainland. Far from condemn him, though, they made him famous. The people of Portugal liked hearing what he was doing, enjoyed the taste of adventure they brought to their lives. 

Things changed for good for Antonio when his ship came across a besieged fleet. The fleet carried important cargo for the Portuguese crown, and Antonio was able to beat back their attackers and escort the ships back to port. For his efforts, he won a full pardon from the crown. 

Still a rogue, still an adventurer, Antonio wasn’t keen on the idea of pushing his luck. Instead, he used his clean state to start over as a trader, bringing in luxury good from all over the globe. Of course, trouble seemed to find Antonio wherever he went, but that only added to his popularity. 

Over the years, Antonio has become a popular fgure in Portuguese history. Though he existed and was an ancestor of the current Queen Consort, his figure is now something more akin to folklore. 

Meet the infamous Nazanin Farabi

Since the days of Antonio Sousa, his family have followed in his footsteps, generation after generation working to build up the family fortune. They were, for all intents and purposes, the richest family in Portugal, bringing much prosperity to the country, However, it wasn’t until Nazanin Farabi married into the family that things really began to change. 

From the day she married the head of the Sousa family, Nazanin made it clear she had big plans. Not content with simply amassing a fortune, she wanted to leverage this to real power, increasing their profile and social standing. 

The first step in doing so was making desirable matches for her three children, sweetening the deal by exchanging copious amounts of gold. The best of these matches was her younger daughter, Rosalia Sousa, with none other than the King of Portugal himself. Through the marriage, Nazanin’s husband was granted titles of his own, her mission complete. 

Meet the famous Cecily Cavendish

Cecily Cavendish was the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, a powerful noble family and close friends of the crown. As a result, Cecily was brought up in close proximity to the royal children. Originally intended as a playmate for the princesses, she in fact ended up forming strong relationships with all the young Windsors. Gentle and sweet, she spent the majority of her childhood in the royal palace rather than her own home, close to the Windsors than she ever was the Cavendishes. 

As a teenager, Cecily fell in love with the crown prince of England. he reciprocated her feelings, and the King and Queen, out of fondness for the girl they already loved as a daughter, granted them permission to wed, and the two became engaged as soon as they came of age. 

Prior to the wedding, the Crown Prince was called away to a foreign country on official matters. Whilst returning to England, his retinue was ambushed by hostile forces. Only a few men escaped. They didn’t know if the prince was dead or alive, nor who their assailants were. The prince was missing, and though the King and Queen searched frantically, there was no clues to his whereabouts - none but a letter, arriving mysteriously at the palace with his ring in the envelope, declaring him to be dead. 

England had no choice but to accept that their prince would never return to them - but Cecily refused to. Distraught by the mere suggestion of his demise, she refused to marry another, refused to move on with her life, and refused to give up hope that her betrothed would not be returning to her. 

After several years, England was plunged into shock when their prince returned alive and well. Cecily was finally able to marry the an she loved, ho she had never given up on. Her loyalty to her fiancé earned her the nickname “the patient princess”. 

Cecily is held up as a model of true love by many romantics in England, with young lovers across the country taking inspiration in the story of Lady Cavendish and her prince. The two went on to rule the country together, and are known to history as two of the most beloved and popular monarchs in English history. 

Meet the Infamous King Henry X

When Henry was born, it seemed unlikely he would ever ascend the throne. His grandfather was the ruling monarch, but Henry was the child of the king’s second son, and his uncle, The crown prince, has four children of his own. Being seventh in line, Henry was fated to be little more than a forgotten duke, whose lineage would eventually fade into obscurity. 

That all changed when Henry was 10 years old. A sickness ravaged through England, attacking noble and peasant alike. The royal family wasn’t spared tragedy. Within three days of one another, the crown prince, all of his four children, and the king himself were dead. Three weeks after that, Henry’s father passed away too. At 10 years old, Henry was crowned King Henry X of England. 

Underage, and with no parents to fight for his rights, Henry spent the remainder of his childhood and teenage years as a glorified hostage. Nobles, grasping for power, fought each other for control of him, and he was afforded little freedoms nor choice. By the time he came of age, he was a mistrustful, paranoid young man with a cold and callous heart. 

Henry was determined not to fall victim to the manipulations and control of others again. He was the king, and he would have absolute power. He reigned for 27 years in total, in which time, he became a tyrant, dissolving parliament to rule absolutely, spending the treasury on his own whims, and doing little in the way of actual governance. During that time, England descended into chaos.