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Author’s preface: students of Renaissance history may know the biographical details of Charles V, who fulfilled generations of Hapsburg planning by inheriting some of the most prestigious thrones in Europe. His marriage to Isabella of Portugal was, by all accounts, a happy one — and it gave his son Philip II a claim to the Portuguese throne, which was very useful after the House of Aviz managed to accidentally extinguish itself — though marred by Isabella’s sudden death, which greatly affected Charles for the rest of his life. It is said that Charles had the nobleman Francesc de Borja, 4th Duke of Gandía,1 accompany her body to its place of burial. Decomposition had so ravaged the empress’s body as to render her unrecognizable. The experience was so upsetting that the duke eventually renounced his titles and entered religious life as a Jesuit. He was later canonized.2
Anyways, there was an alternate history timeline that I read last year called An Imperial Match: Anne Boleyn marries Charles V which I thought was very fine — as you can tell, the point of divergence here is that Charles V ends up marrying Anne Boleyn, of all people, instead of his intended bride — and when Anne dies, once again Francesc de Borja is called to accompany an empress’s corpse to its place of burial. There was a very nice scene, which inspired me to write a sonnet, which the timeline’s author apparently liked, since they ended up making it sorta-canon.
Which all goes to show that if you read alternate history timelines, inspiration may suddenly strike! Okay, that’s enough filibustering.
Eulogy delivered by Francesc de Borja
Where is the brightness that once lined your face?
Where is the voice so eloquent and fine?
Where is the gentle beauty and the grace?
O Holy Mother, grant to me some sign —
This is not her, the Empress of my heart,
Who occupies this spot upon the bier.
This is not her, not any vital part —
‘Tis only her cadaver that lies here.
She who was queen on earth perhaps shall reign
A queen in heaven, as she would deserve.
And something of me shall forever lie
Beneath the earth, an aching sort of pain:
I swear to you here now that I shall serve
No other mortal master that may die.
Or, rendered in a more familiar language, Francis Borgia. Yes, descended from those Borgias; Pope Alexander IV was his great-grandfather.
For all of Pope Alexander IV’s…talents…he does not seem to have ever given the impression of being a good candidate for sainthood.