Phillip II of Spain to Anna of Austria

Dear Anna,

Can you believe that Pope Pius still refuses to give us blessing to marry each other?

King Phillip

That is really bad, thought Anna of Austria. "I know, dearest Majesty, and I do not know what we shall do about it."

Dear Anna,

I do actually have an idea in mind that I think might change his mind.

Phillip

"Ptay tell what the idea is, Your Majesty. I am getting quite frustrated as is my father, the Holy Roman Emperor." Anne of Austria said.

Dear Anna,

Your father is okay with the marriage, but with the Catholic faith, we must seek permission from Pope Pius V to grant me the dispensation I need to marry you as he cites to me about biblical prohibitions and birth defects given that you are my niece. I have a plan in mind however to threaten to break away from the Holy League in the fight against the Turks. We all know how much he favours the League. Do not worry Anna, we will marry soon.

Phillip

"Well, I hope you shall do so for I so wish to wed with you, Your Majesty. It is a good match which my father favours highly as you well know. He sent me to you early so that we may meet and get to know each other and I like what I see, Your Majesty. I hope to make you a good wife and a good Queen for Spain and all your other kingdoms.

Dear Anna,

I shall put it to the Pope at once and very soon we shall be married. I will not let him get away with it. We are meant to be together. I think that you will be an amazing Queen of Spain.

King Phillip

"No, do not let the Pope get away with it, dearest Majesty. Thank you.I so look foward to being your wife and Queen. I have a lot to measure up to for I am sure your three previous wives were good and kind ladies." Anna of Austria remarked.

Dear Anne,

I have news that the Pope, following my threat, has agreed to grant us what we need so that we can marry. It took just a small amount of persuasion to get him on our side. My other wives compare nothing to you. You are a gem and soon to be Queen of Spain. I am sure that you will be a good mother to my current children too.

King Phillip

'Oh, I look forward to meeting your daughters. I am sure that they are delightful.' Anne of Austira remarked.

Dear Anne,

My daughters are indeed delightful and they are looking forward to meeting you too.

Phillip

"How old are they, Your Majesty."

Dear Anna,

My daughters are still very young. Isabella is just four and Catalina is 3 years old. Their mother Elisabeth she died on the same day that she gave birth to a stillborn daughter.

King Phillip

"That is sad." Anne of Austria remarked.

Dear Anna,

It is indeed very sad and that is why I hope that you can be like a mother to them.

Phillip

Anne of Austria smiled at her husband and she saw that he had suffered a lot in his life. What with the death of three wives and his heir. That is why they had to make a male heir and hopefully it would soon happen.

Anne,

The nobleman of Spain, at times, laugh at me for not having a male heir to succeed me. I do hope that we will be happy together.

Phillip

It was not through lack trying that Philip did not have an heir, thought Anne of Austria. He went through three wives and his first had given him a son. She wondered what Carlos was like. "Philip, dearest, do you miss your boy, Carlos?"

I looked at Anne as she mentioned my son.

"Dear Carlos, he was a kind soul. Sadly he was very weak and unwell. He is missed. All I can hope for is that I get a son soon or all of Spain will laugh at my failure to provide a male heir.

"i shall do my very best, dearest Majesty" Anne of Austria could see the pain behind those words. She would liked to have met Don Carlos. He lived quite a few years. He was close to Philip's third wife, Isabel of Valois.

"Well as you know, your sister, Maria of Spain is my mother and Maxilliam the Second, Holy Roman Emperor is my father.  I was born in Castile, Your Majesty and when I turned four we moved to Vienna." This is why Philip wanted to wed with her because she was born in Castile. She was wondering as to why he is asking her about her family when he knew she was a part of his family. He was her uncle but of coarse, she would say nothing and speak of her family. She was slated to wed with Don Carlos, her uncle Philip's son. She often wondered about that boy. Did Philip murder his own son?! It was a question but not spoke of. But when Don Carlos died,  and then Isabel of Valois as well, it became possible for Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian to make his daughter, Anne of Austria Queen of Spain and they wert for it full force with much opposition.

I smiled at Anne.

"It appears that you know our family history very well Anne and of course I did already know this and I just wanted to see how much you knew. Anne, does something trouble you?

'No, Your Majesty, nothing troubles me.' Anne of Austira said.