It always could gather illegally, no problem.
To do what? It would have no troops at its disposal. The armies were up in Leicestershire. It could only rubber-stamp whatever Stanley et al decided.
It always could gather illegally, no problem.
To do what? It would have no troops at its disposal. The armies were up in Leicestershire. It could only rubber-stamp whatever Stanley et al decided.
To choose a new King, if Jasper Tudor is dead, armies in Leicestershire would succumb to infighting.
But someone would win the infighting, and whoever won would be (or choose) the new King. The actions of an irregular bunch of ex-MPs (not having been called by the present King, they would no longer be a Parliament) would count for nothing
I don't know, if they had popular support than troops (significant part of which are foreign mercenaries) would just accept their choice in exchange for personal benefits.
Popular support for whom? Warwick would likely be the most popular, but he is either fled to Burgundy or else Lord Stanley's captive. This imaginary Parliament wold have no candidate to hand.
BTW, Richard III's only Parliament had been dissolved on 20 Feb 1484, so its members would have long since gone home. Even if some of them chose to return to London, is it likely they would get there before Stanley and Oxford did?
.For MPs. Some official in London could usurp royal prerogative and call a new Parliament.
.
What would be the point of that? Stanley and Oxford would be arriving in London shortly - long before any new "Parliament" could be elected - and whoever they had settled on for King would then call a regular Parliament. Why would any official get himself in hot water with the new regime by playing silly games of that kind? And even if they did, why would the Burgesses or whoever organised such elections pay any attention to an illegal summons from some servant of a dead King?
They could always just pay the mercenaries and send themThis is assuming that Stanley or Oxford are able to maintain control over army, which is doubtful. How could they gather money necessary to keep foreign mercenaries in line?
They could always just pay the mercenaries and send them
Home
Stanley is pretty rich already so I’m such he could cough up the moneyDo they have enough money to do it? In similar situation in Hungary, after death of Matthias Corvinus, Black Army mercenaries were not satisified with small sum.
Do they have enough money to do it? In similar situation in Hungary, after death of Matthias Corvinus, Black Army mercenaries were not satisified with small sum.
This is assuming that Stanley or Oxford are able to maintain control over army, which is doubtful.How could they gather money necessary to keep foreign mercenaries in line?
Stanley's troopss are not mercenaries, they are his retainers, loyal to him personally. And if Oxford loses control,where can his men go except Lord Stanley?
Stanley is pretty rich already so I’m such he could cough up the money
They could loot neighbouring settlements carellesly, something which disgruntled mercenaries did pretty often. How Stanley is going to stop them?
OK, so if it's like this, it sounds that he'd be an kingmaker.
They could loot neighbouring settlements carellesly, something which disgruntled mercenaries did pretty often. How Stanley is going to stop them?
Did they do this on the way *to* Bosworth? If not, why should they be any more likely to do so after?
Did they do this on the way *to* Bosworth? If not, why should they be any more likely to do so after?
Which to me, makes it seem as if being an Edwardian Yorkist as @isabella points out, he's not going to accept any King unless they're married to Elizabeth of York.