Henry VIII: Bigamist?

I was skimming through a biography of Mary Tudor the other day when I came across something I hadn't known. During the divorce saga between Henry and Katherine, one suggestion apparently originating with Pope Clement VII himself was that Henry simply marry Anne Boleyn.

Bigamy.

I can see some advantages to the parties. Henry gets to marry Anne, Mary is STILL his heir (thus not pissing off the emperor enough to take action) unless he has a son, England stays Catholic. Anyhow assume.... this crazy suggestion is implemented and Henry (presumably with Papal approval since it was Clement that suggested it) now has two wives. Results? Repercussions?
 
Will Anne go for this? She was a tough cookie, remember.

But, let's assume she does....

Polygamy the norm in European monarchy?
 
Will Anne go for this? She was a tough cookie, remember.

But, let's assume she does....

Polygamy the norm in European monarchy?

I think yes... i want to see how is gonna buterflies certains royal family(Habsburg) and certain country in Europe(i forget which one)...
 
That would make Anne unlawful wife and her children bastards by default for evrybody. Elizabeth was acceptable because some recognized legality of divorce from Katherine and hence Henry's marriage to Anne as legal as he was single at the time. If he doesn't divorce even under "I'm the f*cking leader of this church and I can whatever the f*ck I want!" justification Elizabeth will not be seen as legal child and hence barred from throne (assuming Anne has children as per OTL)

However! In OTL idea was tabled after Elizabeth took throne that she could be given some sort of legal dispensation, basically pope saying everything is honky-dory and that even though there were some mistakes made in the past Elizabeth is legal child and hence can lawfully rule. It was shelved because Elizabeth thought that his would make her dependant on Rome and would hve to toe thier line.

I don't know how even papacy could spin it that having two viwes would be legal and even if one pope found some way to sanction it next one could reverse the position.
 
That would make Anne unlawful wife and her children bastards by default for evrybody. Elizabeth was acceptable because some recognized legality of divorce from Katherine and hence Henry's marriage to Anne as legal as he was single at the time. If he doesn't divorce even under "I'm the f*cking leader of this church and I can whatever the f*ck I want!" justification Elizabeth will not be seen as legal child and hence barred from throne (assuming Anne has children as per OTL)


He wasn't the Pope, but Philip Melanchthon suggested that Henry marry bigamously. A Lutheran C of E? Somebody else listened to Melanchthon:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_of_Hesse
 
I doubt Anne would accept such a thing.

I agree; and the Habsburgs (Charles and Ferdinand) won't accept this either.
Then again IIRC IOTL they (Habsburgs) probably also regarded this second marriage as bigamous...
 
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Susano

Banned
Will Anne go for this? She was a tough cookie, remember.

But, let's assume she does....

Polygamy the norm in European monarchy?

Landgrave Philip the Maganimous of Hesse, living at the same time, was also bigamist, using the religiosu confusion of teh Reformation, basically. Now, granted, he is only a plucky little Landgrave (if one of the most influential men in Germany in his time) while Henry is a King, but the main point remains that with all the religious trouble sand uncertainiteis of the time I doubt this will set a precedent.
 
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