A Polish Reformation with a Queen to boot?

I was doing some periodical browsing on the Wiki and I came across an interesting tidgit regarding Sigismund II of Poland. Before his second marriage to Barbara Raditzwill and before Catherine of Austria came into the picture, in 1546, he was also interested in two potential English brides: the first being the Princess Mary, and the second being Catherine Willoughby. My biography on Mary mentions nothing of the match, and I can't fathom why Sigismund would pay court to a random English noblewoman, especially considering she was not especially wealthy.

Poland at this time was in a rather difficult position; Sigismund had wished to marry his Calvinist mistress, but there was a lot of domestic discontent as it had just lost his first wife and the Austrian court was fuming. Although he did marry her, they had no children and he was soon forced to reconcile with the Habsburgs, marrying the Archduchess Catherine (his sister in law from his first marriage!) All his marriages were childless and much like Henry VIII, he sought ways out of his third marriage for the same reason Henry had wanted his first annulled: because he had married two sisters and thus believed he would have no progeny because it was incestuous.

This could be have some interesting effects in Poland. What if instead of marrying Radizwill he decides that he'll go his own way and break from the domineering Catholic church? Poland had a growing Protestant movement; German immigrants favored Lutheranism while native Poles embraced Calvinism. The Tolerant Jagiellons let them do as they pleased; it was the Vasa who wiped out these vibrant communities. Perhaps Sigismund tires of all these petty politics and threats of whom he should marry. If Barbara dies a little earlier, perhaps before they can marry, it gives an added incentive. Say he makes contact with Henry VIII to get some tips on what to do, and possibly a new Queen as well.

Henry is close to dying in 1546; he could certainly decide his eldest daughter needs a good marriage and selects Sigismund, to see her finally married. But I'm not sure if he'd do so: after all, prepping his children for their futures was not really Henry's strong point. Still, at 29, Mary isn't that old (old for traditional marriage game, but not too old to have progeny).

She's also closer to Sigismund II's age, who'd be 26. Only downsides, if he's in a reforming mood, she's going to be unlikely to want to marry him; secondly, Henry was super stingy. Even at the height of his wealth, he only offered to give Francis I 40,000 ducats for Mary's hand. This is is a pauper's dowry. Sigismund might get offended.

Pros: close age, she's royal. She's in the Act of Succession; a second son could easily becoming King of England and Ireland.
Cons: Super Catholic. Probably unwiling to leave England. Shitty dowry. She had health issues even when young, esp related to her period. May not be able to have children, but again, her issues were mostly painful periods, not infertility. May put her position in the succession at stake.

Now, Catherine. She's the daughter of William Willoughby, the Baron of Wiloughby de Ersby. Her mother is Maria de Salinas, one of Katherine of Aragon's old maids of honors. She's the same age as the King, 26. So not super young and definitely capable of children. She also became an outspoken Protestant and for a time lived in Poland.

Pros: close age, Protestant.
Cons: She's not exactly royal, but Henry may offer her a dowry and it'd still bring a connection to England. She'd also bring property connections to her new husband, so extra income. Of course, it may only be for her life; the 1421 statue forbids foreigners from owning property in England (this was Henry's reasoning to exclude Margaret's line from the throne).

Either way, a definitely interesting bride choice. Even more so should Edward kick the bucket IOTL. Poland isn't a Spain, but Sigismund may make good
 
Originally posted by Drake Rlugia
Either way, a definitely interesting bride choice. Even more so should Edward kick the bucket IOTL. Poland isn't a Spain, but Sigismund may make good
England is too far away for Poles to be interested - not to mention for English to accept a king from a country most of them never heard of.

To be honest I never heard about Sigismund August looking for wife in England. I doubt Poles and Lithuanians would have accepted a marriage between their king and someone not from royal house. When SA married Barbara Radziwiłł IOTL the scandal was enormous, some of the noblemen were dangerously close to rebellion. But at least Barbara had support from her powerful family. Who in Poland would have supported Catherine Willoughby? And English princess might be only marginally better - at least a royalty, but intolerant, not to mention from far away, bringing pretty much no dowry or polical gains.
If you want a Protestant Poland (or more successful Reformation in Poland, which is not exactly the same) keep Barbara alive. She was Lutheran, IIRC, and AFAIK Sigismund loved her very much. If she had given him a son, all Poland and Lithuania wouldn't have cared that much about her religion (as long as the king remains officially Catholic). Poles and Lithuanians were really worried about the fact Sigismund was the last of Jagiellon dynasty.
So, Barbara lives, she has a son (Casimir Sigismund) who has at least some more sympathy to Protestants. I'm not sure about Poland converting to Protestantism (which branch? - perhaps creating Church of Poland?) since Polish king had not enough power to make it so or enforcing his will in the matter, since Catholic were a majority. But more support for the Protestants ends with stronger Protestant community in Poland. And hey - no Vasas on Polish throne! That might mean less support for the Counter-Reformation.
 
Originally posted by Drake Rlugia

England is too far away for Poles to be interested - not to mention for English to accept a king from a country most of them never heard of.

To be honest I never heard about Sigismund August looking for wife in England. I doubt Poles and Lithuanians would have accepted a marriage between their king and someone not from royal house. When SA married Barbara Radziwiłł IOTL the scandal was enormous, some of the noblemen were dangerously close to rebellion. But at least Barbara had support from her powerful family. Who in Poland would have supported Catherine Willoughby? And English princess might be only marginally better - at least a royalty, but intolerant, not to mention from far away, bringing pretty much no dowry or polical gains.
If you want a Protestant Poland (or more successful Reformation in Poland, which is not exactly the same) keep Barbara alive. She was Lutheran, IIRC, and AFAIK Sigismund loved her very much. If she had given him a son, all Poland and Lithuania wouldn't have cared that much about her religion (as long as the king remains officially Catholic). Poles and Lithuanians were really worried about the fact Sigismund was the last of Jagiellon dynasty.
So, Barbara lives, she has a son (Casimir Sigismund) who has at least some more sympathy to Protestants. I'm not sure about Poland converting to Protestantism (which branch? - perhaps creating Church of Poland?) since Polish king had not enough power to make it so or enforcing his will in the matter, since Catholic were a majority. But more support for the Protestants ends with stronger Protestant community in Poland. And hey - no Vasas on Polish throne! That might mean less support for the Counter-Reformation.

Polish Kings married plenty of dubious brides -- Jan Olbracht married a Russian Princess for instance, who never converted. Sigisimund I married Bona Sforza and Barbara Zapolya; Bona was noble as was Barbara, but they were hardly royal. Likewise, both Ludwika of Gonzaga and Marie Casimire d'Aquin were Polish Royal Consorts, despite being mere nobility. t was not yet cemented that a king needed a royal wife, and especially in Poland, so Catherine Willoughby is a possibly, albeit not extremely likely. Indeed, she offers quite minimal connections, but so too, in some ways, does Barbara. She has the Raditzwill family, but she's no rich heiress after all. A surviving Barbara would indeed make a Protestant Poland more likely, but she was Calvinist, not Lutheran. Lithuanians and Poles favored French Calvinism; Lutheranism was the religion of the German craftsmen and other Germans who lived in the kingdom. Her survival is also hardly the only POD, considering how much Sigismund II desired a male heir and that his childlessness was (he believed) caused by marrying his sister-in-law, eerily echoing Henry VIII's own sentiments. Sigismund would most certainly create his own independent church ala the Anglicans. It was merely an interesting thought exercise. I myself have heard of him seeking out neither women as a bride, but it would be pretty interesting if he did.

There are, after all, multiple PODs to create the same/similar situations.
 
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