Charles III

Charles III (Charles Henry Louis Martell; 1 March 2685 until 28 December 2748) was King of Rockfield and Elector of Sardinia during the middle of the 28th century. Charles III, often referred to as Charming Charles, reigned for ten years after his father's long reign. His reign brought peace to the Rock and prosperity and was notable for bringing Rockfield further in line with the Pontifical Church. Charles was the first monarch in Balancín history to be coronated by the Pontifex - St. Konstantin I in 2738.

Charles was born during the reign of great-grandfather, Charles The Old, and was, unlike his father, groomed to be a future King. He was created the Duke of Talaga upon the ascension of his grandmother to the throne as Elisa I and served his early life surrounded by the courts of his grandmother and later his father. Historians debate whether or not Charles was a closeted homosexual, with rumours of his "fondness" for his squire, Sir Manson The Devilish, circulating during his father's reign. To quash the rumours, Charles' father, also called Charles, had him marry the second daughter of Lord Aerion, Matilda.

The rumours gained him the nickname "Charming Charles", though he violently refuted such a description during his reign. Upon his father's death, he became King Charles III. There was speculation at the time that he may choose to reign under his middle name "Henry", as the new King seemed eager to differentiate himself from the conservative administration of his father. He was by far the most liberal King of the early Martelian period. He temporarily banned the death penalty, abolished the Corn Laws which served as a tax on farmers, and began the process of creating rights from persecution.

Charles faced resistance to his policies in the form of three major rebellions. The first rebellion, led by House Aerion, sought to mandate conservative reforms in Charles' court. House Aerion, as the house of his wife, held significant influence in the court of Charles II. However, their position in court was quickly dwindling. Charles' barons were unhappy, as merchants and commonfolk began appearing more and more at court. The Queen's Rebellion, as it became known, was launched in 2741, but was quickly quashed. House Aerion was stripped of all lands and titles, and the house ceased to exist.

The second rebellion of Charles' reign was the most minor. The Stale Pretender, a man called Perkin Neswitt, claimed to be a true born grandson of King Alfonso I. King Alfonso had died in a shipwreck without any heirs and so the throned passed to Charles The Old (Charles' great-grandfather). Neswitt's rebellion gained only the support of two minor houses: Granger and Bestwood. While House Granger was destroyed by the small rebellion, House Bestwood continued to dispute Charles' legitimacy.

The third rebellion was perhaps the most significant, being launched by Prince Alfonso Martell, the King's youngest son. Prince Alfonso was reportedly depressed as a result of the defeat of House Aerion during the Queen's Rebellion. Queen Matilda Aerion, angered by her husband's treatment of her House, spoke ill of the King and, eventually, causing Prince Alfonso to rebel. Alfonso's status as a true and uncontested Martell gained him support among the conservatives houses that were unhappy with the King's liberal agenda. The aim of the rebellion was to make Alfonso the heir, surplanting his liberal-supporting brother, Philip. However, thanks to House Buck of Buck Island, who used the castle of Rock's End to his military advantage, Prince Alfonso was killed and Queen Matilda arrested for treason. She was beheaded at the Iberian Palace on 19 November 2748.

Following the reluctant execution of his wife, for which he was forced to bring back the practice of public execution, Charles III entered a state of serious depression. He spent the Christmas of 2748 in isolation and died on 28 December of the same year. The official record assigns his death to natural causes, though many historians have retrospectively concluded that his death was most likely a suicide. His son, Philip II, ascended to the throne.

Titles and styles

1 March 2685 - 28 June 2695: His Royal Highness Prince Charles Martell
28 June 2695 - 8 August 2738: His Royal Highness Prince Charles, Duke of Talaga
8 August 2738 - 28 December 2748: His Majesty The King

As King of Rockfield, Charles III's official title was:

By the Grace of God, Charles Martell, the third of his name, King of the Rock and of the Newton, Lord of the Iberian Palace, Elector of Sardinia, and Defender of the Faith

Issue


Name	Birth	Marriage	Their children
Philip II	3 March 2709	Patricia Hargrave 3 April 2728	Oberon, King of Rockfield Prince William Antony Edmund I Prince Eduardo Carlos Princess Maria Martell Queen Francesca of Lisbon Prince Julian Prince Frederick Prince Palao Prince Augustus Princess Alexandrina
Prince Alfonso Martell	30 March 2711	Nyna Maeve 1 September 2727	Princess Elisa