Recent content by mcdnab

It is worth bearing in mind that there was no real Woodville faction at this point - it is Ricardian propoganda. Irrespective of Edward IV's will (and the evidence is purely what Hastings is reputed to have written to Gloucester) - it had no bearing in law and it was clear the council or the...

it is a bit of a complex issue: The Third Succession Act - was explicit Edward, any issue of the King by Queen Katherine Parr, Mary, Elizabeth - after which the King was free to dispose of the crown to whom he wished by his will - it named no other members of the King's family beyond his issue...

Far too many children - Elizabeth of York had seven over 17 years, Isabella of Castile had seven over 15 years, and Katherine's sister Joanna had six in 9 years, while Maria had 10 in 14 years. I think 12 in 16 years is stretching it a bit especially if all survive birth and infancy - in otl she...

It is interesting that Catherine Wydeville did not have children by Jasper - her last child from Buckingham was born in 1483. She is one of the few Wydeville's that we have a pretty accurate year of birth for and she wasn't quite 30 when she married him - however he was in his very late 50s when...

Well technically the succession in most people's eyes in 1533 is Mary Tudor Margaret Tudor James V of Scotland Lady Margaret Douglas Mary Tudor Duchess of Suffolk (died June 1533) Henry Brandon (d1534) Lady Frances Brandon Lady Eleanor Brandon After them well There are numerous surviving...

Actually Marie Feodorovna was born Princess Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar - she was known in Denmark as Dagmar - but her family used the diminutive of Minny.

The issue is that because Henry's split with Rome was largely personal and political than doctrinal and England's enforced Henrician form of Protestantism was essentially one of convenience to ensure he was able to get out of his first marriage it is easy to state England would have over the...

Yes very - which for an essentially Conservative man like Henry would not have been pleasing

Frances was only 30 in 1547 - her last daughter had been born in 1545 - while she had no more surviving children by Grey - she did during her second marriage have three pregnancies - two stillbirths and a daughter assumed to have died very young. The removal is sometimes thought that the King...

1) Edward's device was specifically to remove Mary from the succession and settling it on a preferred Protestant successor. 2) He was also concerned that both his sister's were illegitimate by law and therefore should not succeed him. 3) He like many of his faith believed a woman should not have...

I think from memory it is quite unlikely - he was pretty determined to marry Alix despite the fact his parents weren't keen. They'd met when she was 12 at her sister's wedding to Nicholas' uncle. She herself had been pressured to marry her cousin Albert Victor which their grandmother Queen...

Highly likely that a male child born instead of Elizabeth ensures Anne Boleyn remains Queen. Delivering a son means the pressure on her is considerably less than in otl which means its highly likely she produces one or two more children - the chance of Henry wanting to end the marriage simply...

Oh I agree I just don't see much advantage on the English side - perhaps a betrothal that never gets to the altar - once Arthur is King of course the issues become their relationship as brothers (given they were not raised together that could go either way), Arthur's relationship with Catherine...

I don't know what actual advantage it offers England to tie the Duke of York to a woman who might or might not be the sister of the French King one day unless Louis offers an enormous financial settlement or you get a change in English foreign policy. You've a gap of seven years between the...

I think in any scenario with a living Arthur possibly with an heir by Henry VII's death - then for Henry its likely a domestic match unless a foreign match is offered in an attempt to persuade Henry VII or King Arthur to an alliance. The older Henry gets the more likely his foreign value...