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I assume this is one of the old-fashioned independent congrats, where players' stories don't normally interact with each other's?

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Sign up:
UN: La Reina
Duke: Romolo Iacopo Giovanni (25)
Consort: Lucrezia Maria Maddalena (16)

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Of the House of Medici, of the duchy of Urbino.

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(Alternate history, much? I took your Renaissance Italy example with enthusiasm, and here the results sit, with a few recycled names. Let's pretend that Lorenzino gave his dukedom of Urbino to someone of his House. Let's also pretend that Ferrante Gonzaga has an elder sister named Lucrezia. That, and this particular moment in the congrats is set in 1518, the War of Urbino spanning from 1516-1517.)

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It was not, as a rule, a very peaceful time in Urbino. Plainly speaking, instead, it was war. Lorenzo II de'Medici (also known as Lorenzino), the current Duke of Urbino, was faced with imminent threat by the recently-exiled Francesco Maria della Rovere, who wanted to regain control of the duchy. The Pope Leo X (uncle to Lorenzino) quickly responded by sending various help, but the help was also varying in quality, from fine condottieri to weak fighters and strategists sent only because of political importance. One of these helping hands was Romolo de'Medici, a native of Forlì and a relative to the Duke by the elder (deceased) Lorenzo Il Magnifico. Unlike the helpless "helpers" sent, Romolo was a brilliant strategist, showing excellent diplomacy as well as being proficient in the ways of war. It was Romolo who first recognised that their opponent is running out of money by which to pay his hired help, and he reacted accordingly, advising the Duke and the Pope to allow a treaty. The treaty was signed, della Rovere left in peace, and Lorenzino, tired of the war, gave Urbino to Romolo.

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Now, while Romolo was a fine strategist and of a cold mind, he was not, by any means, experienced in politics. However, Lorenzino was insistent, and thus the position of Duke rested in young Romolo's lap. The first step he took, interestingly, was the procurement of a young wife. Lucrezia Gonzaga, although not a massively important woman, was beautiful and uncommonly accomplished for a woman of her age and standing (or even, of any standing), skilled not only in the womanly works but also in conversation and knowledge. The arrangement started out as merely a formality - do not Dukes need a Duchess? - but during the short engagement, Romolo and Lucrezia became fast friends. The marriage was a bit rushed, once the dowry was settled, because it had to be done before Lucrezia's younger brother Ferrante is to be sent to Spain, although once the marriage was settled it became apparent that Ferrante is yet to be sent off in close time. Thus the couple were married - a rushed union, though not a brash one, and fairly happy in its early moments.

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Whenever he has time, Romolo enjoys scholarly work, retiring from the brutish warfare to a world of personal peace. Of particular interest to him is the flourishing arts, which he intended to bring to his duchy soon and in great amounts. Romolo himself set the example, dabbling in alchemy and commissioning a painting of his new wife. Lucrezia, for her part, was perfectly happy to be posed in a painting, wherein she was cast as Artemis, with emphasis on her ivory skin and flaxen hair. She expressed a girlish delight in the artists and their company, and in no time asked her husband to let her dedicate a work of art to her family, which Romolo agreed to swiftly. By the time her father's bronze bust was finished, it was obvious the two were falling in love quite perfectly.

This message was edited 7/19/2011, 10:12 AM