Charles XI

Portrait by Philippe de Champaigne

**Charles XI** (*Charles Auguste*; October 9th, 1620 - present) was Emperor of Vasttaire and jure uxoris Duke of Burgundy (as Charles IV) from 1646 until the present.

He became Emperor of Vasttaire after the death of his father Philippe VIII in 1646.

WIP

## Character Synopsis

### Appearance

Charles was regarded as a charming man. He was of slightly above average height, and stood naturally at 176cm or 5 feet 9 inches. In heels and a hat, he would appear about 180cm or 5 feet 11 inches. He had shoulder-length black hair from his adolescence, but by his early thirties gray streaks had begun to appear in his hair. From his mid twenties he wore a thick, brushy moustache with a goatee. He had a long face with a slightly sharp chin and brown eyes. He, along with other male members of the Valois-Anjou family, are noted for having distinctive ears; although these ears are very frequently hidden by his long hair.

### Personality

Outwardly, Charles projected the image of a formal yet exuberant man. His exuberance manifested generally in a near-permanent smile and optimistic attitude. He had the propensity to behave like a showman, and was a very active man who liked showing off in martial and academic feats. Despite this, he was also notably a calm and patient man, never raising his voice even when angry. While not loyal to his wife, he was loyal to his mistress, Marie de Hautefort, and did not engage in other affairs while their relationship was ongoing. He was also a caring man, and he cared deeply about his children, especially his only daughter.

Inwardly, Charles was a ruthless and cunning man. His mother, father, and mentor Cardinal Richelieu had raised him to be permanently suspicious and cautious. As such, he was painfully aware of the tenuous grasp he held on his power, and was deeply suspicious of anyone he considered to align with a third column within his realm. Nevertheless, his upbringing made him prone to arrogance and overconfidence. While he was not particularly pious, he was committed to Catholicism and regarded Protestants as potential threats to his family. In private, he spent hours in brooding and contemplation.

Charles had several hobbies, his favourite of which was sport. He especially enjoyed fencing, and developed an interest for jousting in his middle age despite the taboo-ness of the sport. He also enjoyed painting, particularly watercolours. He was also fond of art, and was particularly partial to Dutch painters. He was a patron of early baroque composers such as Lully and enjoyed ballets. Charles was a keen collector of antique books created before the advent of the printing press. His passion for literature joined coincided with his love of writing poetry and calligraphy. He was always partial to a game of chess.

## Issue

With his wife, Mathilde de Bourgogne, he had one child:

* **Henri Augustin,** *Dauphin de Vasttaire* (August 28th, 1637 - present)

With his mistress, Marie de Hautefort, he had two illegitimate children:

* **Marie Athénaïs,** *Mademoiselle de Tours* (June 9th, 1645 - present)
* **François Adrien,** *Comte de Toulouse* (December 17th, 1648 - present)

## Titles, Styles and Awards

### Styles

* **October 9th, 1620 - July 12th, 1646:** *Monseigneur le Dauphin*
* **July 12th, 1646 - present:** *Sa Majesté l'Empereur*

His full style upon his ascension to the throne was:

*Le Très Haut, Très Puissant et Très Excellent Prince, Charles, par la Grâce de Dieu, Empereur de Vasttaire, Roi de France, Roi titulaire de Naples, Roi titulaire de Jérusalem, Duc de Bretagne, jure uxoris Duc de Bourgogne, Co-Prince d'Andorre, Prince Très Chrétien*

### Honours

* Souverain Grand Maître de l'Ordre du Saint-Espirit
* Souverain Grand Maître de l'Ordre de Saint-Michel
* Souverain Grand Maître de l'Ordre de l'Hermine
* Chevalier de l'Ordre de l'Ordre de la Toison d'Or