Charles II

Charles II (Charles Alfonso Augustus Martell; 23 April 2666 until 8 August 2738) was the first Martell King of Rockfield in the early 28th century. Known to many as "The Commander", Charles II reigned for 35 years and made significant strides in the military development of Rockfield. As the first Martell King, he was the first King to be Elector of Sardinia and would extend Rockfield's influence beyond the Doggerlands. His reign is often considered to be the beginning of the rise of Rockfield.

Born during the long reign of Charles I as the only child of the Princess Elisa, who was married to Maeron Martell of Sardinia, Charles was a challenger to his mother's claim. His mother was only 16 when he was born and his gender brought into doubt whether Elisa, as a woman, would inherit the throne. His mother persucted Charles, especially following the death of his father Maeron. As many in court began to discuss the possibility of skipping Elisa and installing Charles as heir, Elisa's mistreatment of the young Charles continue right through his childhood. Even after King Charles The Old publicly proclaimed Elisa as his heir, rumblings of discontent continued. Eventually, King Charles discovered the way Charles had been treated by his mother and sent him away from court for his own safety and well being. The King ordered him to the Royal Navy, where he grew to appreciate the role of the military.

Charles' time in the Navy was brief but transformational. He spent three years in the service, before being promoted to the rank of Commander in the Royal Army during the Mountain War of 2685 at the age of 19. His rank was widely recognised to have been granted due to his merit and not his royal status, a remarkable achievement for his age. He gained the nickname "The Commander", one which he never shook. He returned from the Mountain War as a military hero with loyalty in the armies and Navy. Upon his return to court in 2690, it seemed to many as almost certain that he would make a claim to the throne upon the death of his aging grandfather.

King Charles I welcomed Charles back to court with open arms. Charles' diaries from the time reported the warmth of his grandfather and the coldness of his mother. For the next five years, Charles and his mother occupied competing positions in court. Despite the tension between the two growing astronomically, King Charles, in his old age, seemed unwilling or unable to intervene. Charles succumbed to a fever in 2695 at the age of 90 - a night for which many in court did not sleep. Charles was away from court on the night of the King's death, a fact for which Elisa took full advantage. She was crowned as Queen of the Rock by the Lord Spiritual, Peter Bartelista. As the designated heir of the King, and having been crowned in the tradition of Philip I, Elisa gained significant legitimacy. Upon his return to court, Charles swore loyalty to his mother, despite reports from the time suggesting that the relationship was still significantly strained.

Charles' time as heir during his mother's reign is often overlooked by historians. Elisa I sent Charles to serve as Lord of Talaga Castle, a move which would isolate him from the governance of the Kingdoms. In 2702, Elisa I announced that she was pregnant. The announcement sent shockwaves throughout the Kingdom as many saw it as a declaration that she would name her new child as the true heir, disinheriting Charles. However, both Elisa and the child died during childbirth in 2703. She reigned for only eight years and, despite being the first ruling Queen of Rockfield, she is merely remembered for her cruelty and mistreatment of her son. Charles faced little opposition when he marched from Talaga Castle to the Iberian Palace and was crowned as King Charles II.

The reign of King Charles II is a well regarded one. He led a conservative administration that introduced the Pontifical Church to Rockfield for the first time in history. Charles II became the first monarch to convert to Pontificalism. In addition, his experience with the military allowed him to rapidly expand the Rock's military influence both at home and abroad. He was a very active King and his defense of the new Church, as well as projecting Balancin power across the region, led to the Pontifex designating Charles as "Defender of the Faith", a title for which every Rockfield monarch after him would hold. Critics of his reign point to militarism as a negative, while the general historic consensus was that the order for which Rockfield brought to the east of the Doggerlands would help postivively shape the region for centuries to come. His death in 2738 marked the solidification of the Martelian dynasty and saw his son, Charles III, inherit the throne without any controversy or contension.

Titles and style

23 April 2666 - 28 June 2695: His Royal Highness Prince Charles Alfonso
28 June 2695 - 1 February 2703: His Royal Highness The Crown Prince and Lord of Talaga Castle
1 February 2703 - 8 August 2738: His Majesty The King