For a Queen's Love: The Stories of the Royal Wives of Philip II

… Isabella! It made him shudder. Carlos did not see himself as others saw him.

Yet Philip was deeply disturbed. He knew that Isabella did not really love him as he wished to be loved. He was fully aware of the restraint between them. He wanted the love of Isabella—the complete love of Isabella—more than he had ever wanted anything in his life.

Carlos … between them! That was ridiculous! But it was a disturbing thought.

After that visit from his father, Carlos’s fury broke out more wildly than ever. He began to seek opportunities of offending the most important men.

The Inquisitor-General, Cardinal Espinosa, had banished an actor from Madrid. Carlos discovered this and, because he was beginning to hate all men in authority, he declared that the banished man was his favorite actor, and he wanted to know what right a priest had to oppose the son of the King. At the very first opportunity he sought out the Cardinal and, in the presence of the officials of the church and the court, he taxed him with deliberately seeking to oppose and annoy the Prince.

The Cardinal defended himself in as dignified a manner as possible, but Carlos was out for revenge and blood. He drew his sword, shouting: “Miserable priest who dares oppose a prince! Miserable torturer of heretics!”

None dared strike the Prince, but it was essential to save the Cardinal, and his friends, ranging themselves about him, hustled him from the room, leaving Carlos foaming at the lips, waving his sword and flashing his wild eyes menacingly at those who remained. Garcia Osorio was fortunately present and managed to soothe him.

But the great Cardinal Espinosa could not allow such an attack on his dignity as well as his person to pass without protest. He presented himself to Philip.

Philip was full of remorse and, as was so often the case when his subjects brought complaints of his son, the interview ended with the Cardinal’s kneeling before the King and swearing to endure even the insults of the Prince for the sake of Philip.

One night Carlos tried to throw one of his servants out of a window because he did not obey his summons quickly enough. On another occasion when riding he pursued Don Garcia de Toledo, the brother of the great Duke of Alba, with his riding whip. Don Garcia had no alternative but to fly before him for fear that he might be forced into an affray in which the Prince might suffer.

It was becoming increasingly clear that Carlos was now nothing less that a violent madman.

Isabella was again pregnant, and Philip therefore decided that he would not go in person to the Netherlands. There was one whom he could trust and whom his Council agreed would be the very man to put down revolt in that troublesome country—a man of ruthless methods, of great personal courage, a fervent Catholic—the great Duke of Alba himself.

When the news of the Duke’s appointment was brought to Carlos he fell into a mood of melancholy and would eat nothing for three days. He was growing very thin through lack of food, and when his frenzies were on him they would exhaust him.

He would lie in his bed and refuse to see anyone, and as he lay there he would talk to himself of death and hate, blood and murder.

Alba, ready to leave for the Netherlands, had occasion to visit the Prince, and when he saw him Carlos completely lost control.

He came out of his silent melancholy and shouted: “Who are you who dares to come here and mock me? How dare you take the governorship of the Netherlands when you know that it belongs to me?”

Alba, seeing the condition of the Prince, sought to placate him. “Your Highness is too precious to his Majesty to be exposed to the dangers of the Netherlands.”

“Do you suggest that I am a coward, sir?”

“Indeed not, your Highness. We know you long to go and fight Spain’s battles. It is solely …”

“You know that, and you consent to go in my place! You take from me that which is mine?”

“Your Highness, as heir to the throne …”

“Ah! Remember it, villain!” Carlos, laughing horribly, showed Alba the dagger he had been hiding in his sleeve. “This is for you, sir. This is for you, Lord Duke. We will send the corpse of a noble Duke to the Netherlands … that we will!”

Carlos’s maniacal laughter rang out as he lunged at the Duke; but Alba was ready; he caught Carlos’s arm and twisted it so that the dagger fell to the ground.

Carlos, impotent to continue his attack, screamed, and attendants came running in.

“Take this man. Set him in irons. Bring me a sword and I will pierce him to the heart. I will kill him … kill him …”

He glared at the cold face of the Duke, and he hated him in that moment almost as much as he hated his father.

Alba said contemptuously: “Take him. Give him some soothing medicine. His Highness is very excited this day.”

Then, almost throwing the Prince into the arms of his attendants, he strode from the apartment.

Isabella was aware of the rapidly increasing tension between father and son.

She longed to comfort Carlos, but she was again pregnant, and each successive pregnancy left her less able to contend with the next.

She was praying urgently for a son.

Ruy, whom she looked upon as one of her greatest friends, knew of her anxiety. She was aware that he shared it. He, more than anyone, seemed to fear the growing menace of Carlos.

Once he said to her: “If your Majesty should have a son, he would be the heir to the throne.”

“And Carlos?” she asked.