A Queen Twice Over: Mary Tudor the Elder Marries Francis I of France
- Thread starter FalconHonour
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Section CLVII : February 1541
Chateau de Conde, February 1541
“You want me to marry who?” Georges stares at his mother in consternation, scarcely able to believe what he’s hearing, “Lisabelle? But she’s just a child!”
“She’s nearly thirteen,” Anne points out archly, “I wasn’t that much older when the Empress matched me to your father, Georges.”
Georges gulps like a fish for a moment, but before he can think how to rebut his mother’s admittedly valid point, Anne continues, “I’m surprised you’re not jumping for joy at the mere possibility of such a glittering match. Lisabelle is a bona fide Princess, for heaven’s sake! Grandpere Thomas will be cockahoop when he finds out.”
It is the wrong thing to say. Georges scoffs at the mention of his grandfather.
“You’ve always been too soft on Grandpere Thomas, Maman. He’s not the doting father you always swear he is. If he were, then Uncle George and Aunt Nora would still speak to him, surely? As for Lisabelle, she’s too young to know her own mind. I’ve hardly spent more than five minutes at a time with her. I’ve danced with her once or twice, asked for her favour a few times, but I’ve never meant anything by it. I’ve always just wanted to make her smile because I like François and she’s his younger sister. There’s been no more to it than that. I’m sorry if I’ve led her on and she’s fallen in love with me, but it’s a childish infatuation. That’s all it is. We can’t get married on the basis of -”
“There’s Griet to be thought of,” Anne cuts her son off, tired of his annoyingly reasonable rambling. Georges stops in his tracks, shoulders frozen in a half-shrug. He wants to pretend he’s not interested, but Anne knows her eldest. He’s only that immobile when he’s listening intently.
She closes the gap between them and puts her hands on his shoulders.
“If you marry Lisabelle, then Queen Marie has promised to push for Griet to take Lisabelle’s place as Duchess of Lorraine. Don’t you want to see your sister become a Duchess? Even if it does mean marrying a child who’s infatuated with you?”
Georges holds himself stiff for a few moments, but Anne simply waits him out. She knows her son. He’ll say yes, however long it takes him to steel himself to it. Georges might be a Bourbon in looks and name, but he’s enough of a Boleyn to want to see his favourite sister make the most glittering match she possibly can, no matter what he has to sacrifice in the process of obtaining said match.
Sure enough, Georges slumps against her a minute or so later, sighing.
“Very well, Maman. I’ll do it. For Griet, and for the rest of the family, I’ll do it. I’ll marry Lisabelle. And I’ll try not to resent her infatuation more than I can help.”
Relief flooding through her, Anne pulls her son down to her level so that she can kiss his brow.
“Thank you, Georges. I knew you’d see things from my perspective eventually.”
Georges seems low ranking for Lisabelle but I guess there aren't many options...
He is the heir of the second Prince of blood (and nephew of the first)… For a domestic match he is not at all a bad one, specially as sound to be a love match and he is well connected…
Well, yes, she was supposed to go to Lorraine, but she's dug her heels in, and she's half-Tudor, half-Valois. I don't think she's giving in any time soon!
Exactly. Her aunt married Alencon, and Georges *is* the second Prince of the Blood now that his father's dead. I think. I may have miscalculated again.
It's a love match on Lisabelle's side, certainly...
And there's always the possibility he'll warm up to her as well...
fair enough, georges isn't the worst match and lisabelle is definitely her mother's daughter soooo
Right…
I am wondering about the family of Anne’s brother-in-law (aka the Duke of Vendome) they are like OTL or there are differences?
Yes, because God forbid one of the Valois-Tudor brats have to give in for something like that. Only their icky half Trastamara cousin Mary has to settle for a second son and then die so that some wretched Boleyn woman can become queen instead of her. If course precious baby Lisabelle don't have to go to Lorraine if she don't want to.
I'm sure he will, but at the moment, he's an eighteen-year-old being asked to marry a thirteen-year-old. At least his father was rather more mature when Marguerite sprang the same idea on him..
blue, I know you love Katherine and Mary but I think you’re being a bit harsh… Lisabelle is the youngest and the only one whose opinions are being taken into consideration. I mean, François was given away in marriage since before his conception basically!
Yeah, I know I come of as harsh. But it feels like Mary got dealt the bad card while her cousins got the lucky ones.
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If Louisa gives birth to a son who lives for three or more years would Isabel become Queen by virtue of being the Last Kings Sister?
Indeed. You'd need Sawney, Bobby and Jemmy all to predecease Louise's hypothetical son before Isobel could take the throne.
As was Louise. Margot was six. Henri was promised to Mary from the age of fifteen months until he died. Jean was married to Bella of Poland and we all know how their marriage ended. Anne is promised to Caterina of Portugal, and Marie Jr to Gustav of Sweden. Charley and little Renee Jr are the only two I haven't found matches for yet.
I understand your point, but I'd still argue that Mary got a better hand than OTL. She got a happier childhood, more time with her mother, and a marriage that, while not perfect, was earlier and better than her OTL match. At least Sawney was fond of her and respected her as best he could. And she got three beautiful children out of it.
That happens sometimes in timelines. 🤷🏻♀️ It’s not a moral failing to write a timeline where Catherine and Mary don’t get perfect happily ever afters. But sometimes I read your comments that way. And that could totally be me, but I know some of your comments about how I handled Catherine and Mary on my timeline made me a little bit uncomfortable.