A couple of questions and what ifs, XVIth Century

Hi, I'm dealing with the XVIth century for the first time.
I started a project but I had some questions and I was expecting a bit of help in here.

One of the first is this;
(This case is based on a thread I saw here long ago)
° Anne Boleyn has two babies in 1534, Edward and Margaret Tudor.
It's evident Henry VIII will stay with her after she gives birth to his son, but, how will the succession be dealt with if...

Henry dies in battle during 1544, Edward VI dies in 1547 after an accident. So, the succession would be disputed between Mary Tudor (Katherine's daughter) and Elizabeth (Anne's daughter).

I read that Mary was seen as the legitimate heir to the throne, but what would happen in this scenario?
I think Elizabeth would win, after all, Mary could be forced to recognize herself as "illegitimate" but she had considerable support but...Well, Anne hates her.

Thanks!
(Excuse me if my English isn't good enough or if this scenario is too implausible)
 

Deleted member 96349

Well, Elizabeth would have been a princess her entire life, she would have been recognised as legitimate by the other countries, and her full brother would have already been King. Mary on the other hand, would have been treated as illegitimate for 14 years.

Elizabeth would also have a powerful maternal family in England:
-Her great-uncle Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk
-Her uncle, George Boleyn, The Earl of Ormond and Wiltshire(he might even be a duke or marquess in this scenario)
-Her mother, Anne Boleyn, Queen Mother and Marquess of Pembroke.
 
Well, Elizabeth would have been a princess her entire life, she would have been recognised as legitimate by the other countries, and her full brother would have already been King. Mary on the other hand, would have been treated as illegitimate for 14 years.

Elizabeth would also have a powerful maternal family in England:
-Her great-uncle Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk
-Her uncle, George Boleyn, The Earl of Ormond and Wiltshire(he might even be a duke or marquess in this scenario)
-Her mother, Anne Boleyn, Queen Mother and Marquess of Pembroke.

Thanks for your reply, so, Elizabeth would eventually ascend to the throne, right?
That's what I thought at the start but, how would people react to it?
I guess Catholics would be pretty mad at her, perhaps an uprising?
 

Deleted member 96349

Thanks for your reply, so, Elizabeth would eventually ascend to the throne, right?
That's what I thought at the start but, how would people react to it?
I guess Catholics would be pretty mad at her, perhaps an uprising?
That's my guess.
Idk about the catholics, since they would have had such a long time to get used to Anne and her children, so it could go either way tbh.
 
When does Anne live til? Because she'd presumably exercise some influence during the minorities of her children if she's still alive. Also, if she's insufferably haughty that might push some people into supporting Mary (though I suspect producing a male heir will make many forgive Anne's abrasive personality).

If she's been Queen for 14 years then Anne will also have been making life very hard for Mary (as opposed to OTL, where several of Henry's later wives treated Mary decently)- that could further wreck Mary's health and drive her into an early grave, or break her spirit. Though, again, if she's too shitty it might elicit some sympathy for Mary (though nobles who are too open with their sympathy for Mary will still end up without a head).
 

Deleted member 96349

If she's been Queen for 14 years then Anne will also have been making life very hard for Mary (as opposed to OTL, where several of Henry's later wives treated Mary decently)- that could further wreck Mary's health and drive her into an early grave, or break her spirit. Though, again, if she's too shitty it might elicit some sympathy for Mary (though nobles who are too open with their sympathy for Mary will still end up without a head).
From what i've gathered it's not so much that Anne was horrible to Mary, as it was that she didn't try to stop Henry's treatment of his older daughter.
Anne did some mean things, like asking Lady Bryan to punish Mary if she continued to disrespect Elizabeth, and ranting to her brother about what she wanted to do to Catherine and Mary, but most of what happened to Mary was her father's will, not Anne's.
Anne kept giving Mary new chances, as late as 1536 she sent word to Mary that she was willing to welcome her to court if she only accepted her as queen.

So in a world where Anne has a son in 1534, Mary might relent earlier and accept Anne as Queen and her brother as heir. Once that happens, Mary is no longer such a threat, and Henry (and Anne) can afford to let her be treated better.
 
So in a world where Anne has a son in 1534, Mary might relent earlier and accept Anne as Queen and her brother as heir. Once that happens, Mary is no longer such a threat, and Henry (and Anne) can afford to let her be treated better.

But this Edward VI is born whilst Catherine of Aragon was still alive. I thought Mary was more willing to accept her OTL brother as heir because Henry married Jane Seymour after Catherine's death and the marriage could thereby be accepted as valid? If that's not the case, isn't it possible Mary would be less willing to accept TTL's Edward VI (because he's the son of Anne Boleyn, the woman who displaced Mary's mother- there'd be emotion there- rather than the benign Jane Seymour)?
 

Deleted member 96349

But this Edward VI is born whilst Catherine of Aragon was still alive. I thought Mary was more willing to accept her OTL brother as heir because Henry married Jane Seymour after Catherine's death and the marriage could thereby be accepted as valid? If that's not the case, isn't it possible Mary would be less willing to accept TTL's Edward VI (because he's the son of Anne Boleyn, the woman who displaced Mary's mother- there'd be emotion there- rather than the benign Jane Seymour)?
You have a point there.
Henry VIII would have been proven "right" though, after only 2 years of marriage Anne would have given Henry three children, including the long awaited son. He would be unbearable, he might have let Mary get away with disrespecting Elizabeth, but he wouldn't let her do that to his son.
 
Thanks for your answers, they are really interesting.
I was wondering, Henry thought his marriage with Mary's mother was cursed, Anne's son could be a proof of it?

After all, gave him a son, people would think Catherine lied?
That could damage Mary's reputation, no?
And what you say seems to have sense, people would eventually see Elizabeth as a rightful successor for his brother.
 
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