Henry VIII assassinated

If she marries the Duke of Beja, given Portugal's mass die off of monarchs, would England and Portugal come into personal union eventually? Could tht ignite war with Spain, or would they not care as long as England stays Catholic?
 
If she marries the Duke of Beja, given Portugal's mass die off of monarchs, would England and Portugal come into personal union eventually? Could tht ignite war with Spain, or would they not care as long as England stays Catholic?

I'm not sure Spain will care as long as both nations are Catholic and aligned with them
 
Somewhat implausible but not totally. One the one hand, Henry VIII literally executed anyone who even thought of killing him. On the other hand, Protestant leaders before the Westphalia settlement did get assassinated (Willem of Orange, Henri IV) or even Catholic rulers viewed as not Catholic enough (Henri III) and this stuff did have an effect. Plus the English had a well deserved reputation for killing their kings (Edward II, Richard II, Henry VI, Edward V, later Charles I, maybe also William Rufus) and there were several confirmed assassination plots against the Tudors so their paranoia was not groundless.

Do it at the right time and the English government does not support the Reformation and that has extensive butterflies. You extend the lives of the 70,000 or so Englishmen Henry VIII had executed. He also essentially founded the Royal Navy and did alot to build up a centralized administration, though it also seems that Catherine of Aragon and her daughter would have been pretty competent if they had had more of a chance to rule.
 
If she marries the Duke of Beja, given Portugal's mass die off of monarchs, would England and Portugal come into personal union eventually? Could tht ignite war with Spain, or would they not care as long as England stays Catholic?
You are forgetting butterflies... A lot of things can happen but staying as close as possible to OTL just for making you happy you will have two great divergences: Philip will need a different second wife (most likely either Maria of Viseu or Kristine of Denmark but Margaret of Berry is still possible) and so he will not inherit Netherlands from his father (who will most likely go to Maria&Maximilian) and so don Carlos will likely marry Elisabeth of France and have children by her (and any son/daughter of don Carlos would inherited a united Spain and Portugal after Sebastian’s death as they are higher than Beja now King of England in the succession of Portugal)
 
If you want Beja to marry Mary Tudor better kill H8 around Christmas 1536. At the time James V is in France, about to marry Madaleine de Valois while Habsburgs are either too young or already married so Beja is practically only available candidate born in Royal House.
 
What happens to Anne and the baby Elizabeth once she is born (likely known as Elizabeth Fitzroy) under Mary's reign? She obviously has cold feelings towards the two, but might she marry Anne off to a loyal (and Catholic) courtier and have him put his new wife and stepdaughter in a small country manor.
Anne Boleyn would either end up being protected by a Protestant lord proclaiming the unborn child as heir (if the pregnancy doesn’t result in a miscarriage due to stress) or Boleyn will end in the Tower of London.

Also, who will end up as young Mary's husband (as she's likely married off ASAP to produce an heir)? Charles V is off the table, and I doubt Catherine wants Mary to wed a Frenchman, so might one of Catherine's Portuguese nephews end up as Mary's consort (likely co-King)

Mary I of England (18/2/1516–17/11/1558) m. 1533, Duarte of Portugal, 4th Duke of Guimarães (7/10/1515-20/9/1540)
Catherine, Princess Royal (3/7/1535-) m.
Mary (12/8/1538–)
Isabella (18/1/1540–)
Edward VI (11/5/1541–) m. Mary, Queen of Scots (8/12/1542-8/2/1587)​

[1] Portuguese prince, the sixth son of King Manuel I of Portugal and his wife Maria of Aragon (sister of Mary’s mother Catherine of Aragon)
 
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Anne Boleyn would either end up being protected by a Protestant lord proclaiming the unborn child as heir (if the pregnancy doesn’t result in a miscarriage due to stress) or Boleyn will end in the Tower of London.



Mary I of England (18/2/1516–17/11/1558) m. 1533, Duarte of Portugal, 4th Duke of Guimarães (7/10/1515-20/9/1540)
Catherine, Princess Royal (3/7/1535-) m.
Mary (12/8/1538–)
Isabella (18/1/1540–)
Edward VI (11/5/1541–) m. Mary, Queen of Scots (8/12/1542-8/2/1587)​

[1] Portuguese prince, the sixth son of King Manuel I of Portugal and his wife Maria of Aragon (sister of cat here we ton

One note, Princess Royal only started with Mary, Princess of Orange (daughter of Charles I) because her mother was a French princess and wanted to emulate the Madam Royale title, so Catherine wouldn't have a separate special title.
 
Anne Boleyn would either end up being protected by a Protestant lord proclaiming the unborn child as heir (if the pregnancy doesn’t result in a miscarriage due to stress) or Boleyn will end in the Tower of London.

A Protestant lord proclaiming her unborn child as heir would probably be the worst situation for her, because this would just lead to a confrontation that Mary would almost certainly win (remember that the country as a whole regarded Catherine as the true queen until her death), and would make Anne and her child look like a threat to the stability of the kingdom. Her best option would probably be to avow loyalty to the new regime and hope that Catherine and Mary are in a conciliatory mood. (FWIW Catherine claimed to hold Henry no ill-will even after he'd publicly humiliated her by getting an annulment and sending her to live in semi-exile in the countryside, so it wouldn't be out-of-character for her to forgive Anne, provided that the latter didn't try to cause any further trouble.)
 
On Sunday 1 June, 1533, while escorting his wife, Anne Boleyn from the Palace of Westminster towards Westminster Abbey to be crowned and anointed as Queen of England, Henry VIII, was stopped by Richard Risby, an English Catholic Franciscan friar, who shouted I have gifts for the royal couple, for Lady Anne Boleyn, he gave her beautiful bouquet of flowers,
While for the King, he had a large leather bound bible, as the King used both his hands to grab the book, Richard plunged a knife into the King's abdomen, Richard was then killed on the spot by the guards, after shouting God Save Princess Mary.
At first, the king laughed the attack off, and attempted to walk his wife towards the Abbey as planned, however it soon became clear, that the wound was deeper as his clothes became crimson with his excessive blood loss.
View attachment 469650

I know that there have been, to say the least, far bloodier rulers(especially in the good old 20th Century)than Henry VIII. Probably by the standards of the 16th Century he wasn't THAT bad(certainly Ivan The Terrible was even worse). Nonetheless, Henry remains one of the historical figures that I myself have always strongly disliked (I’ve always relished Dickens’ characterization of him as "a blot of blood and grease upon the history of England.”*) So I’m sorry but I have to say about this scenario- if only!

*- Quoted in Lacey Baldwin Smith, HENRY VIII: THE MASK OF ROYALTY, p. 4 of the 1973, Sentry
Paperback edition. An unorthodox but interesting look @ Henry. Not an out-&- out biography or
a chronological account of his reign, the author instead examines various aspects of Henry(such as
his personality, & Henry & religion, & how Henry was regarded elsewhere in Europe).
 
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I'm also thinking that the English want to get their monarch crowned and married fairly quickly, especially before Charles or Francis try to sink their hooks into the goings on of the crown. Ideally, it would be someone who doesn't stand to rule England in personal union with his native country if Mary is the one who gets crowned.
 
One note, Princess Royal only started with Mary, Princess of Orange (daughter of Charles I) because her mother was a French princess and wanted to emulate the Madam Royale title, so Catherine wouldn't have a separate special title.
Would we instead see the Portuguese style of giving daughters titles? Or would people fear having future foreign leaders having claims to their land?
A Protestant lord proclaiming her unborn child as heir would probably be the worst situation for her, because this would just lead to a confrontation that Mary would almost certainly win (remember that the country as a whole regarded Catherine as the true queen until her death), and would make Anne and her child look like a threat to the stability of the kingdom. Her best option would probably be to avow loyalty to the new regime and hope that Catherine and Mary are in a conciliatory mood. (FWIW Catherine claimed to hold Henry no ill-will even after he'd publicly humiliated her by getting an annulment and sending her to live in semi-exile in the countryside, so it wouldn't be out-of-character for her to forgive Anne, provided that the latter didn't try to cause any further trouble.)
I was imagining it being similar to the nobility supporting Jane Grey, the nine day queen. Some lords would think only of the small gain, plus they may be rewarded for changing their allegiances from Elizabeth to Mary.
A high catholic nunnery might be grateful for a new nun.
I know that there have been, to say the
least, far bloodier rulers(especially in the good old 20th Century)than Henry VIII. Probably by the standards of the 16th Century he wasn’t THAT bad(certainly Ivan The Terrible was even worse). Nonetheless, Henry remains one of the historical figures that I myself have always strongly disliked (I’ve always relished Dickens’. character-
ization of him as”that foul blot of blood and grease upon the history of England.”*) So I’m sorry but I have to say about this sce-
nario- IF ONLY!

*- Will provide citation later
Thank you. He’s by no means the worst monarchy in the world or even England, however he remains a controversially divisive character, whose life has been over romantically and demonically changed.
I'm also thinking that the English want to get their monarch crowned and married fairly quickly, especially before Charles or Francis try to sink their hooks into the goings on of the crown. Ideally, it would be someone who doesn't stand to rule England in personal union with his native country if Mary is the one who gets crowned.
A Portuguese marriage avoids picking one of the two main powers. Her husband would be set up as a high advisor and privy council member.
 
A Portuguese marriage avoids picking one of the two main powers. Her husband would be set up as a high advisor and privy council member.

It's likely the very best way to go. Luís de Beja is probably the most inoffensive marriage candidate for the other leading powers, one between traditional allies, and keeps England clear from overt foreign influences. He even has a younger brother if they would prefer someone closer to Mary's age and further from the Portuguese line of succession.
 
I know that there have been, to say the least, far bloodier rulers(especially in the good old 20th Century)than Henry VIII. Probably by the standards of the 16th Century he wasn't THAT bad(certainly Ivan The Terrible was even worse). Nonetheless, Henry remains one of the historical figures that I myself have always strongly disliked (I’ve always relished Dickens’ character-
ization of him as "a blot of blood and grease upon the history of England.”*) So I’m sorry but I have to say about this scenario- if only!

I think he was quite bad -- most rulers didn't end up executing multiple wives, for a start. Though ITTL he might end up with a better reputation; his standing in European opinion suffered a lot from his execution of Thomas Moore and John Fisher, both of whom were famous and respected humanist scholars, so if he's killed before that he'd probably be viewed as less tyrannical.

I was imagining it being similar to the nobility supporting Jane Grey, the nine day queen. Some lords would think only of the small gain, plus they may be rewarded for changing their allegiances from Elizabeth to Mary.

Some would, although I don't think there'd be enough of them to seriously threaten Mary's position.
 
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