Catherine Howard has a Son

what if Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's 5th wife, became Pregnant by her lover Thomas Culpeper in early 1541? now would Henry believe the Child was his? (lets say its a healthy baby boy) if he did would Howard's adultery ever come out? would Henry still own "his" son if he knew of her adultery? and if Sickly Edward VI still dies young and unmarried would his Brother (Henry? Edmund? Jasper?) become King?
 
would Henry still own "his" son if he knew of her adultery?

I strongly doubt it. The idea of a royal bastard sneaking in and getting the throne after the death of Edward is a great idea, but in order to realistically manage it you'd have to have King Henry VIII never find out about it.

After Henry's death, well...depending on Culpeper Jr.'s religious inclinations, the pro or anti-reform factions might keep any shocking information they find on his parentage under their hats if they think that putting him on the throne would help their cause.

So the knowledge of the Tudor's bastardy is kept a secret, at least until the next succession crisis when a disaffected conspirator spills the beans. It would make for helluva good reading.
 
Wow. Well, it's likely that with a son Henry would be far more inclined to side with Catherine against her accusers.
 
Wasn't Henry impotent by that marriage?

maybe but this is the 1500s and no way to prove that, and you think King Henry VIII would EVER publicly say so? I believe they where having sex, but likely syphilis made him infertility (likely also the reason behind Edward VI's poor health)
 
So, suppose Catherine IS caught.

Henry knows he had had sex with Catherine. He is unsure about who the actual father is - he cannot be sure it is NOT his son.

What will Henry do?

The actual father of Mary was never in doubt. Anne Boleyn WAS accused of a lot of adultery - but did Henry himself seriously believe Elizabeth was not his?

Now, there is a clearly legitimate marriage and a healthy son - but a real doubt as to paternity.

What would Henry do about inheritance beyond Edward?
 
The actual father of Mary was never in doubt. Anne Boleyn WAS accused of a lot of adultery - but did Henry himself seriously believe Elizabeth was not his?

I think so yes, he said so publicly at lest, she was declared illegitimate, and it was only the work of Catherine Parr that reconciled Henry with Elizabeth and restored the illegitimatized sisters to the line of succession
 
I think so yes, he said so publicly at lest, she was declared illegitimate, and it was only the work of Catherine Parr that reconciled Henry with Elizabeth and restored the illegitimatized sisters to the line of succession

BOTH Mary and Elizabeth stayed illegitimate. Even in the will of Henry VIII, they were expressly illegitimate - any future lawful child of Henry VIII, such as a possible daughter of Henry VIII and Carherine Parr or later wife, would have inherited ahead of her elder but bastard sisters.

It has been treason to hold any conceivable opinion as to the legitimacy of Mary and Elizabeth. Between 1536 and 1547, how was Elizabeth treated compared to Mary? She was younger, obviously, but otherwise?
 
It has been treason to hold any conceivable opinion as to the legitimacy of Mary and Elizabeth. Between 1536 and 1547, how was Elizabeth treated compared to Mary? She was younger, obviously, but otherwise?

after her mother's death, worse than Mary, at lest at first, I remember an incident where Elizabeth's Nurse Kat asked for money for a new dress as the than 3 or 4 year old Lady Elizabeth had outgrown all her old clothes, and the King shot back that he wasn't paying to clothe Mark Smeaton's child, and Kat ended up paying for new clothes by selling off house hold furnisher, from the time of her mother's death in 1536 till 1545 she almost never saw or had contact with her father, Henry VIII was very very good at self delusion, once he got an idea into his head he really believed it, he really believed that he wasn't rightfully married the first time, and that Anne cheated on him with all those guys and Elizabeth wasn't his
 
Top