Jacoba #1
Jacoba was born into a world of wealth and privilege. Her parents, John, Duke of Bavaria, and Margaret of Burgundy, ruled over a vast swath of land that included Holland, Zeeland, and Hainaut. As their only child, Jacoba was doted on and given every advantage.
Despite her privileged upbringing, however, Jacoba was far from content. From an early age, she chafed at the restrictions placed on her and dreamed of a life outside the walls of her father’s castle.
One day, when she was just six years old, her father announced that she was to be married to John IV, Duke of Brabant, in order to secure an alliance between their families. Jacoba didn’t fully understand what it meant to be married, but she knew it was something important and serious.
“Why do I have to marry him?” she asked her father one day, as they sat together in the castle’s gardens.
“Because it is necessary, my dear,” John replied, his voice gentle but firm. “We must ensure the stability of our lands and our position as rulers.”
“But what about what I want?” Jacoba protested. “What about my own wishes and desires?”
“You will understand when you are older,” John said, patting her hand. “For now, you must trust in your father’s wisdom and do as you are told.”
Jacoba wasn’t satisfied with her father’s answer, but she knew better than to argue with him. Instead, she turned to her mother for comfort and guidance.
“Mother, why do they want me to marry someone I don’t know?” she asked, as they walked together through the castle’s halls.
“Because they believe it is for the good of the realm,” Margaret replied, her voice soothing. “But don’t worry, my darling. You will be well taken care of, and one day you will have the power to make your own decisions.”
Jacoba clung to those words like a lifeline, hoping that they would prove true. She knew that she was destined for greatness, but she also knew that her father’s plans for her might not be the same as her own.
As the years passed, Jacoba grew into a young woman of striking beauty and intelligence. She continued to study and learn everything she could about the lands over which she would one day rule, and she dreamed of a future in which she would be free to make her own choices.
Little did she know that her chance to break free from her father’s grasp and forge her own destiny was just around the corner.
Third Hand AI 
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