Francesca Beckenbauer

Francesca Viale (nee Beckenbauer) is the daughter and eldest child of Marco Beckenbauer and his first wife Andromaque Rousseau. She is the wife of Cesare Viale, son of the Doge of Venice (Giovanni Viale).

Childhood
Francesca was born on the 4th of October 2924 in Venice, the first childhood and only daughter of Marco and Ande. Although she was not expected she certainly brought much joy to the couple, and even softened Marco a bit into a the role of a father rather than a commander.

Growing up in Venice's Demigod Ghetto she soon learnt how important it was to protect the ones you love in such an environment. As her parents ran The Order of The Blood from their bedroom, Francesca helped around the home and developed a passion for reading. By the age of 14 she was an avid reader and enjoyed intellectual activities such as chess and puzzle building. She also developed a love of pencil sketching, having drawn a full scale drawing a Venice's Grand Canal and dock at 16.

Francesca had to work from an early age to afford her keep - she took up a place in a local free school for Demigod children, teaching them literature, history and language. She was idolised by many of the children that she taught, becoming something of a local heroine.

New Life as Nobility
After Marco saved Cardinal Emanuel Costanzo's life, the family saw a rise in both wealth and status as thanks for Marco's actions. Emanuel also provided the family with an estate in the San Marco district of Venice, the richest district in the city, hoping to make use of Marco's 'unique talents'.

Francesca enjoyed access to more literature than she had access to as a child, pursuing her love of knowledge to a full extent. She became a patron of many local writers and artists with her newfound wealth and a partner of the Biblioteca Marciana, Italia's oldest surviving public manuscript depository, holding one of the greatest classical texts collections in the New Europa.

Negotiating the marriage
Before her marriage Francesca had many suitors from the various noble families of Venice, becoming known as 'La Bellezza di Venezia' ('The Beauty of Venice') as she grew into a woman. She drew the eyes of Cesare Viale, the son of the Doge of Venice. Cesare became infatuated with Francesca, proclaiming that he must have her for his own. Cesare's father, Giovanni, sent Emanuel to negotiate a potential marriage between his son and Francesca.

Francesca knew very little of Cesare, knowing him only as 'the Doge's heir'. She did however complement his appearance when asked by Emanuel what she liked about Cesare, saying "he has the most delicate brown eyes, a strong jawline and the figure of a man who knows what he wants from life".

Marco was hesitate about marrying off his only daughter, but Francesca persuaded him by saying she could use her new position as Cesare's wife to improve life for Demigods in Venice. Realising that his daughter was now a grown woman and true to the ways of The Order, Marco let her make her own decision to marry Cesare.

Wedding
Francesca and Cesare were married in the Basilica di San Marco on the 27th of June 2942. The entire nobility of Venice were received as guests in the cathedral and at the feast that followed. Emanuel, as Archbishop of Venice, presided over the wedding, and Marco had the honour of walking his only daughter down the aisle. After the service a feast was held on the Ducal Barge in the lagoon. Marco was given the honorary title of Marchese di Verona as father of the bride.