Catherine of Aragon dies along with Prince Arthur

[Grand_Panjandrum]

This might have been raised before, but what if Catherine died along with Prince Arthur when illness swept Ludlow? In OTL, Catherine was ill but managed to survive, so her death does not seem too improbable.

If Catherine is out of the picture, who would the now-heir Prince Henry marry? Ferdinand and Isabella were out of daughters by that time.

[Philip]

Infanta Isabel of Portugal is a good choice.

[Don_Giorgio]

An alliance with Portugal??? Nah... wont work with England... a marriage alliance with HRE would be much more useful... (especially if we combine it with my other post "WI Clement VII annuled Henry's VIII wedding")...

[Philip]

An alliance with Portugal??? Nah... wont work with England...

You are aware, are you not, that the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance is over 700 years old? To the best of my knowledge, it is the oldest active alliance in the world. Don't forget that at the time of Arthur's death, Portugal was an extremely rich country. If you really want to have fun with this alliance, have Miguel da Paz (or Isabella of Asturias) survive, and Portugal will inherit the whole of Iberia.

Strengthening the alliance could serve England very well.


a marriage alliance with HRE would be much more useful... Yes, it would be. The problem is finding a good candidate.

[Don_Giorgio]

What about Leonor de Castilla? Charles's V sister? she would be 4 when she would have been engaged to Henry and married in 1510 right after Henry's VII death...

[el t]

I would'nt rule out a Scottish princess. Henry VII married his daughter Margaret to the king of Scotland in order to reduce French influence there. Perhaps with the heir of England married to a Scot, it would bring England and Scotland closer together.

[Don_Giorgio]

Nah... Henry needed a strong alliance with Spain or HRE... I think Leonor de Castilla is the best option... She was a Spanish Infanta and sister of Charles V... 2 in 1...
If this marriage had taken place France would have been put between hammer (HRE) and anvil (Spain)...