September 19, 2837, one year ago
Carlos Habsburg was awake when the deliberate knock, more a courtesy warning than a request for permission to enter, came at his door. He had been restless, his mind unable to clear itself of the thing. Sure, he understood the thing would come. It was inevitable. In fact he was probably as well prepared as he could be for such a thing, but a thing that was like this thing was really not a thing that could be prepared for in any meaningful understanding of the phrase.
"Alteza," a man said gravely before he entered the chamber. Carlos was used to such intrusions, both at home and here at El Escorial: it was a mere fact of life for European royalty. Servants were always in and out of the Infante's bed chamber. But the intruder was Agustino de Cadiz, Carlos' best friend and all around partner in crime for some 14 years. He didn't have to say more for Carlos to understand why he had come to his apartments so early in the morning. His hands were clasped tightly and his big gray eyes gave away fear.
The thing had happened.
Since he was an infant, Carlos was under the impression that he'd never be king. He was the second son of Queen Sofia Teresa of Spain and Prince Karl Ferdinand of Austria, and his older brother, Fernando, was always the heir apparent. It had been a great relief to him, especially as he grew older and began to notice the deep toll it took on his gentle-hearted mother. Indeed, Carlos had spent much of his youth gallivanting around the Solar System, seducing foreign nobles, and generally preparing for a comfortable life as Spain's playboy prince.
But fate had different plans. Fernando, his senior by three years, was always incredibly bright and charmed all of Spain with intellect and humility. But Fernando was mad. Or at least, that's what everyone believed after he announced his abdication as Prince of Asturias and heir-apparent of Spain to pursue a "life of Godliness," and subsequent retirement, at the age of 27, to a convent in North Africa. This, with no small degree of scandal, thrust Carlos to the top of the succession and threw the tiny universe of Spanish political life into a flurry unseen since the succession crises three centuries earlier. As one can imagine, this threw the 24 year old for a loop as his life changed dramatically. He was quickly married to Cristina, Princess of Bavaria and set about the task of fathering legitimate children. On top of this, the Infante was made Regent of Naples and Sicily so that he'd have some experience governing before acceding to the throne when the thing happened.
Once his mother's illness was confirmed to be terminal a year ago, he was recalled from Naples and took up residence in El Escorial, preparing to rule All Spain from the gargantuan palace his grandfather had re-imagined. It wasn't until then that the thing became real to Carlos, and as it approached with each day, he and all of Spain lost sleep over the future of the restored Empire.
Now Agustino stared across the room at him and Carlos knew that today was the day he became Catholic Monarch of All Spain.
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The funeral saw a gathering of millions of Spaniards to the Basilica of El Escorial to pay respects to their beloved Queen in an elaborate ceremony officiated by Pope Pius XXI. A period of official mourning followed for the next year, but Carlos quietly seized the reigns of power and began his reign uncrowned, only making the traditional appearance before the Cortes a month after the funeral. His advisers felt a quiet transition to power would help Spaniards have closure on the seemingly sudden death of their Catholic Monarch and adjust to the idea of Carlos, their likeable but unserious little prince, leading one of the great powers of the world.
In a bold move, Carlos decided to depart with nearly 1,500 years of tradition and hold a lavish coronation ceremony, which will serve as his introduction to his billions of subjects and his friends and foes in foreign courts. After the tacit approval of the Cortes, he appointed his close friend Agustino de Cadiz to organize a grand ceremony at El Escorial, where he will be crowned in the Basilica by the Archbishop of Madrid, taking the regnal name Carlos X.
His soon to be Catholic Majesty has invited dignitaries from every nation of Earth to attend the ceremony and the following reception in the Escorial's central courtyard. The following message was dispatched by the Ministry of State, for immediate delivery to the head of state of each country.
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Estimados Primos y Amigos,
You are cordially invited to witness the coronation of Carlos, Prince of Asturias, as Carlos X, Catholic Monarch of All Spain, to be held at the Basilica of El Escorial at 10:00 local time, on September the 19th, 2838 AD.
Please have your representatives contact the Ministry at your earliest convenience to register your attendance and make arrangements for agreeable transportation and accommodations.
Muy atentamente,
Don Agustin de Cadiz