Marchéville, Henri de Gournay comte de (hi d-t), French officer, supporter of Monsieur Gaston as of 1635
Maria Anna von Habsburg, archduchess of Austria (hi d-t), queen in the Low Countries, married to Don Fernando; sister of Ferdinand III
Matowski, Joel (fi u-t), SoTF personnel at Fulda
Melon, Francisco de (hi d-t), diplomat in the employ of Claudia de’ Medici
Mendoza, Doña Mencia de (hi d-t), lady-in-waiting to Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia; sister of Cardinal Bedmar
Moscherosch, Johann Michael (hi d-t), Grand Duke Bernhard’s head publicist/pr man
Motzel, Volpert (hi d-t), legal officer for Claudia de’ Medici, from Tyrol
Müller, Georg (hi d-t), lawyer, was secretary of Axel Oxenstierna in 1633
Nasi, Francisco Nasi (fi d-t), USE spymaster
Nassau-Siegen, Johann Moritz von (hi d-t), deputy administrator of the USE Province of the Upper Rhine
Nihusius, Bartholdus(hi d-t), former tutor to the dukes of Saxe-Weimar
Ohm, Johann Bernard von (hi d-t), member of Der Kloster and one of Grand Duke Bernhard’s main advisers/officers
O’Neill, Con Oge [aka Constantine] (hi d-t), Irish nobleman, reared in England as hostage; officer in service to Fredrik Hendrik in the Netherlands
O’Neill, Daniel (hi d-t), Irish nobleman, reared in England as hostage; officer in service to Fredrik Hendrik in the Netherlands
Patton, Hazel [nee McDonnell] (fi u-t), breeder of Siamese cats in Grantville
Pence, Fred (fi u-t), SoTF personnel at Fulda
Pfalz-Veldenz, Karl Ludwig. See: Charles Louis
Piazza, Annabelle [nee Graham] (fi u-t), wife of Ed Piazza; formerly 3rd grade teacher
Piazza, Ed (fi u-t), prime minister of the USE as of June 1636; former president of SoTF; former high school principal in Grantville
Pierpoint, Gerry (fi u-t), military medic involved in anti-plague campaign
Platzer, Caroline (fi u-t), lady-in-waiting to Princess Kristina
Ponikau, Tobias von (hi d-t), bureaucrat; reliable adviser to Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar 1635; delegated as second-in-command to Henri de Rohan
Poyntz, Sydenham (hi d-t), Englishman, member of Der Kloster and one of Grand Duke Bernhard’s main advisers/officers
Puylaurens, Antoine de (hi d-t), French nobleman, 1635 lover of Henriette de Lorraine-Vaudémont, princesse de Phalsbourg; a favorite of Monsieur Gaston
Quedlinburg, abbess of (nee Dorothea Sophia, duchess of Saxe-Altenburg) (hi d-t), shrewd politician
Ramboldt, Albrecht (fi d-t), SoTF National Guard, Fulda Barracks Regiment, major 1635
Raudegen [assumed military alias; he was born as Josef Kempinger] (fi d-t), colonel in the army of Grand Duke Bernhard
Rehlinger, Hans Ulrich (hi d-t), Grand Duke Bernhard’s chancellor
Remiot, Jacques (fi d-t), village mayor in Lorraine; local informant for Grand Duke Bernhard
Renée du Bec-Crespin (hi d-t), wife of the comte de Guébriant, ally and supporter of Claudia de’ Medici during Bernhard’s illness
Riddle, Mary Kat (fi u-t), wife of Derek Utt
Rohan, Henri duc de (hi d-t), leader of the French Huguenots; brother of Soubise
Rohan, Marguerite de (hi d-t), only daughter and heiress of Henri de Rohan
Rolfinck, Werner (hi d-t), dean of the medical faculty, University of Jena
Rompler, Jesaias (hi d-t), friend of Moscherosch, writing an epic poem about Bernhard
Rosen, Reinhold von (hi d-t), member of Der Kloster and one of Grand Duke Bernhard’s main advisers/officers
Rücker, Daniel (hi d-t), Lutheran pastor; chaplain to Grand Duke Bernhard
Ruvigny, Henri de (hi d-t), military officer in the service of Grand Duke Bernhard; aspiring diplomat
Salcido, Carlos (fi d-t), Zuñiga’s lieutenant-colonel, in the service of the king in the Low Countries
Sattler, Philipp (hi d-t), diplomat, originally from Swabia, in service of the USE Dept. of State
Saxe-Altenburg, Dorothea duchess of (hi d-t), wife of Grand Duke Bernhard’s brother Duke Albrecht of Saxe-Weimar
Saxe-Altenburg, Elisabeth Sofie duchess of (hi d-t), fiancee of Grand Duke Bernhard’s brother Duke Ernst of Saxe-Weimar; aka Ernst Wettin
Saxe-Weimar, Albrecht duke of (hi d-t), brother of Wilhelm Wettin, Duke Ernst, and Grand Duke Bernhard; runs the family estates in Thuringia
Scaglia, Alessandro (hi d-t), Savoyard origin, diplomat and political philosopher for the king and queen in the Low Countries
Schaffelitzky, Bernhard (hi d-t), cavalry colonel coming into the service of Grand Duke Bernhard as of 1635
Schmid, Ludwig (hi d-t), one of Grand Duke Bernhard’s personal physicians
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Ludwig Guenther count of (hi d-t), early Thuringian ally of the up-timers; USE politician
Sims, Henry, Jr. (fi u-t), SoTF military medical officer assigned to Burgundy
Sinclair, David (fi d-t), Scots ensign in Grand Duke Bernhard’s troops
Skippon, Philip (hi d-t), Englishman on the staff of Grand Duke Bernhard
Smith, Henry Jr. “Hank” (fi u-t), temporary employee of Christian IV of Denmark
Smith, Joan (Freeman) (fi u-t), temporary employee of Christian IV of Denmark
Sofia Juliana, countess of Waldeck (hi d-t), wife of Hermann of Hesse-Rotenburg
Sophia, countess of Schleswig-Holstein (hi d-t), second-oldest “king’s daughter” of Christian IV of Denmark by Kirsten Munk
Soubise, Benjamin de Rohan duc de (hi d-t), brother of Henri, duc de Rohan
Springer, Melvin (fi u-t), SoTF personnel at Fulda
Springer, Nina (fi u-t), wife of Melvin, SoTF personnel at Fulda
Starschedel, Bernhard von (hi d-t), captain of cavalry under Grand Duke Bernhard
St-Baslemont, Alberte Barbe d’Ernecourt, madame de (hi d-t), wife of Jean Jacques d’Haraucourt, seigneur de St-Baslemont; leader of Lorraine militia
Stearns, Michael (fi u-t), overall hero of the 1632 series
Stone, Gerry (fi u-t), son of Tom, brother of Ron of the Lothlorien Pharmaceuticals company, would-be Lutheran pastor constantly diverted from his studies by family business
Stull, Harlan (fi u-t), SoTF personnel at Fulda
Szymanski, Gus (fi u-t), SoTF personnel at Fulda
Thysac, Éric de (hi d-t), officer in the regiments of Charles IV duc de Lorraine
Traill, James (hi d-t), Presbyterian clergyman; tutor to James Hamilton
Trelli, Matt (fi u-t), husband of Marcie Abruzzo, employed by Claudia de’ Medici
Uhlfeldt, Corfitz (hi d-t), Danish nobleman; betrothed to Christian IV’s illegitimate daughter Eleonore Christine when she was a child
Ulfsparre, Måns (hi d-t), Swedish captain under Nils Brahe in Mainz
Utt, Charles Roger (fi u-t), infant son of Derek Utt and Mary Kat Riddle
Utt, Derek (fi u-t), SoTF commander at Fulda
Vernier, Hélie de (fi d-t), colonel in the service of Charles IV duc de Lorraine
Vittoria della Rovere duchess of Urbino (hi d-t), oldest daughter of Claudia de’ Medici, fiancee of and privately married to her first cousin Ferdinando II de’' Medici, grand duke of Tuscany
Volmar, Isaac (hi d-t), chancellor of Tyrol’s possessions in Alsace
Waldemar (hi d-t), “king’s son” morganatic child of Christian IV of Denmark; sullen teenager
Wedekind, Thomas (fi d-t), butcher, working in Besançon; married to Lisa Lund
Weinhart, Paul (hi d-t), plague doctor in the employ of Claudia de’ Medici
Wettin, Wilhelm (hi d-t), formerly duke of Saxe-Weimar, became prime minister of the USE June 1635; Grand Duke Bernhard’s oldest brother; renounced noble status to be eligible for the House of Commons and office of prime minister
Wettstein, Johann Rudolf von (hi d-t), official of the city of Basel
Zuñiga, Luis (fi d-t), colonel in the service of the king in the Low Countries
Offstage characters with significant
mentions, for fast reference
Anne de Rohan (hi d-t), sister of Henri duc de Rohan and Benjamin duc de Soubise; avid matchmaker
Beatrice de Cusance, baronesse de Belvoir (hi d-t), latest mistress of Charles IV of Lorraine; her husband, Eugene Leopold d'’Oiselet, prince de Cantecroix, does not appear onstage in the story either, but performs an action indicating was not as complaisant as Charles might have hoped.
Bouillon, Frédéric-Maurice de la Tour d’Auvergne duc de (hi d-t); ruler of the principality of Sedan on the border between France and the Spanish Netherlands; Huguenot; brother of Turenne
Candale, Henri de la Valette comte de (hi d-t), current and former lover of Marguerite de Bethune-Sully
Cantrell, Eddie (fi u-t), naval commander, son-in-law of Christian IV of Denmark
Cecelia Renata archduchess of Austria (hi d-t), Habsburg; sister of the queen in the Netherlands
Ernst duke of Saxe-Weimar (hi d-t), diplomat and administrator in the employ of Gustavus II Adolphus; brother of Bernhard and of Wilhelm Wettin; aka Ernst Wettin; administrator of the Province of Saxony
Ferdinand II (hi d-t), Habsburg; deceased; former Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III (hi d-t), Habsburg; emperor of Austria-Hungary; brother of the queen in the Netherlands
Hanau-Münzenberg, Catharina Juliana von (hi d-t), Calvinist, sister of Amalie Elisabeth regent of Hesse-Kassel; recent widow of Count Albert Otto II zu Solms-Laubach
Hesse-Kassel, Wilhelm V landgrave of (hi d-t), husband of Amelia Elisabeth, kia November 1635
Irish colonels and their regiments, in transit from Cologne to Bavaria via the Rhineland and Swabia, bringing plague with them (for activities cf. Window of Opportunity in Tangled Web).
Butler, Walter (hi d-t)
Deveroux, Walter (hi d-t)
Geraldin, Robert (hi d-t)
MacDonald, Dennis (hi d-t)
Jenkins, Melissa “Missy” (fi u-t), wife of Ron Stone
Jenkins, Charles Jr. “Chip” (fi u-t), brother of Missy Jenkins; high school athlete; amateur violinist; administrator
Kruse, Vibeke (hi d-t), mistress of Christian IV, king of Denmark
Louis XIII, king of France (hi d-t), Bourbon, assassinated May 1636
Marguerite de Bethune-Sully duchesse de Rohan (hi d-t), wife of Henri duc de Rohan, currently mistress of the comte de Candale (for activities cf. The Red-Headed League, RoF IV)
Medici, Marie de (hi d-t), dowager queen of France, mother of Louis XIII and Monsieur Gaston
Nilsson, Dagmar (fi d-t), widow of Sgt. Helmuth Hartke at Fulda
Olivares, count-duke (hi d-t), first minister of Philip IV of Spain
Pfalz-Veldenz, Johann Friedrich (hi d-t), distant cousin of Gustavus II Adolphus
Philip IV (hi d-t), Habsburg; king of Spain; married to Elizabeth of France, sister of Louis XIII and Monsieur Gaston
Richelieu, Armand, Cardinal (hi d-t); owner of Siamese cat from Grantville; attacked and purportedly assassinated May 1636
Savoy, Victor Amadeus I, duke of (hi d-t), married to Christine Marie of France, sister of Louis XIII and Monsieur Gaston
Sims, Julie (fi u-t), sister of Henry Sims, Jr.; married to Alex Mackay; sniper
Stone, Ron (fi u-t), older brother of Gerry Stone; pharmaceuticals executive
Sully, Maximilian I de Bethune (hi d-t); Calvinist, father-in-law of Henri duc de Rohan
Tremblay, Cardinal [aka Pere Joseph] (hi d-t), last heard of as imprisoned and beaten near to death by thugs of Marie de’ Medici, August 1636
Turenne, Henri de la Tour d’Auvergne vicomte de (hi d-t), French general under Louis XIII; Huguenot
Urban VIII (hi d-t), pope, birth name Maffeo Barberini, assassinated May 1636
SECTION I AN UNEASY KIND OF PEACE
Chapter 1 By God’s Grace, Bernhard, etc.
Besançon, Franche Comté
February 1635
Gary Lambert stood on the citadel hill of the town of Besançon in the Franche Comté. He didn’t wonder what he, a nice Lutheran boy from twentieth-century Indiana, was doing there. He knew. By the grace of God and the Ring of Fire, he had escorted his aging future father-in-law, Friedrich Hortleder, to watch Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar officially become Bernhard, Grand Duke of the County of Burgundy.
Hortleder, now chancellor of Saxe-Weimar County in the State of Thuringia-Franconia in the United States of Europe, still very much in the confidence of Bernhard’s brother Wilhelm Wettin, was one of Bernhard’s former tutors––possibly the only one to whom the independent Bernhard had ever paid much attention––and an honored guest at the ceremony.
Wettin wasn’t here. As head of the Crown Loyalists, the party that had just won the USE election, he was slated to become the next prime minister of the USE and considered it not fitting to attend a ceremony at which his youngest brother, who had quarreled bitterly with Gustavus Adolphus, emperor of the USE, was setting the seal on his betrayal by officially becoming an independent ruler. Duke Ernst had planned to come––Bernhard had invited him––but some last minute emergency in the Upper Palatinate, where he served as the USE regent, had kept him away.
Duke Albrecht was present. Albrecht ran the remaining Saxe-Weimar estates on behalf of his absentee brothers and was, by nature, a peacemaker. Hortleder, Gary, and a half-dozen other people from Weimar and the Eichfeld had traveled with him. Of the eleven sons of Johann of Saxe-Weimar (twelve if you counted Wilhelm’s stillborn twin), only these four were still alive. The others had succumbed to the vagaries of childhood mortality, smallpox while attending the university of Jena, war, and, in the case of the unfortunate Johann Friedrich, death in confinement, where his brothers had placed him on account of his growing insanity.
A brisk but not freezing breeze stirred the air. Even though he was wearing a warm, fur-lined, cape, Gary felt grateful for the bright sunshine. Hortleder said something. Gary turned around, expecting a question, but the older man’s attention was on someone else.
“Nihus? I scarcely expected to see you here, now that you have become such a distinguished scholar that your name is latinized on various title pages. Not to mention for a few other reasons.”
Bartholdus Nihusius smiled. “My theological feud with Georg Calixtus seems to be winding down, though the Helmstedt professors have scarcely forgiven a former tutor of the dukes of Saxe-Weimar for converting to Catholicism. Still, now that Calixtus is making ecumenical overtures, it looks like I’ll be going to Mainz. Part of the policy of Cardinal-Protector Mazzare, you know. I’ve been invited by Wamboldt von Umstadt himself to join the archepiscopal staff.”
“Very distinguished for one of our little band of ‘former tutors of the young dukes of Saxe-Weimar.’” Hortleder looked around. “Wolfgang Radtke is here, too, somewhere in the crowd. I saw him earlier. He came as part of the delegation of the president of the State of Thuringia-Franconia. I don’t see him, right now.”
Nihusius nodded. “Not surprising in this crowd.”
The assembly of people who were crowded onto the citadel hill above Besançon, awaiting the ceremony in which their former pupil would be assuming his grandiose new title, was large, and the numbers kept growing. Anyone who could make the climb from the city below, or if not in sufficiently good physical shape for that, could afford to hire a cart with a donkey and driver, a sedan chair with bearers, or a wheelbarrow with someone to push it, seemed to have come.
Nihusius was looking a little rueful. “So Wolfgang, too, is now a distinguished ‘Ratichius’ and after all his decades of striving in vain to introduce educational reform, has become the ‘Secretary of Education’ of the State of Thuringia-Franconia.”
“Supervisor of numerous up-timers.” Hortleder laughed. “Largely by grace of Count Ludwig Guenther’s widowed sister-in-law Anna Sofie at Kranichfeld. She never lost faith in his ideas. Now, by virtue of Schwartzburg-Rudolstadt’s friendship with the up-timers, she had the influence to persuade Herr Piazza to make the appointment––over the objections of some
of the ‘Grantville educational establishment’ who are convinced that only they can bring technological enlightenment to the poor ignorant down-timers, I assure you.”
“That only leaves Thomas Grote? Where is he, these days?”
“I’m afraid we’ve lost touch.”
“Trumpets. Here comes the procession.” Nihusius turned.
“Have you seen Bernhard to talk to?” Hortleder asked.
“At the reception yesterday evening.”
“How did he seem?”
Nihusius rubbed his fingers on his chin. “He’s not the hot-tempered teenager we knew, any more. Not even the hot-tempered young general of Breitenfeld. He looks older. Colder. He has bags under his eyes and not, knowing Bernhard, from dissipation.”
“I saw him last night, too. That was pretty much my impression. Even though there’s not yet any gray in that wavy dark hair––which I’m sure he’s happy to have kept in such abundance, given how many men of thirty are starting to go bald––he’s learned control to go along with his ambition. He’s achieved a position where he can surround himself with men of his own choosing, rather the ‘must-hires’ foisted on him by someone else’s politics. I doubt he’ll ever learn to be patient with incompetence, but he seems to have finally resigned himself to the existence of incompetent people in the world. As long as they aren’t anywhere near him. Whether he will ever be at peace with himself––who can say?”
Nihusius rubbed his chin again. “He’s a man with no illusions.”
Gary looked at them. “That’s what happens when you live in a tough neighborhood. Sheila, my wife up-time, used to work pro bono in an inner-city medical clinic. The weak––their eyes just got vacant. The winners, by the time they were thirty, had the same look in their eyes as this guy. If you ask me, fighting this war counts as a tough neighborhood, all by itself.”
✽ ✽ ✽
“Von Gottes gnaden, Bernhard, etc.”
By God’s grace, Bernhard, etc. The newly installed grand duke of the County of Burgundy contemplated the start of his letter to the regent of the County of Tyrol. Claudia de’ Medici, widow of an Italian duke, then widow of a Habsburg archduke, and by birth a grand duchess of Tuscany. Claudia de Medici, whom he had met earlier in the month.
Ring of Fire - 1635_ The Legions of Pestilence Page 2