HEnry VIII's ONE Wife

I think the reason why his son died so early, and why male offspring was so problematic in general was obviously the genetic inadequacy of Henry VIII...

Actually, I've read Katherine of Aragon was fond of religious fasting even while pregnant, and this contributed to her many miscarriages.

It might have also contributed to the weakness of her son.

Of course, I've also heard Henry had syphilis, which can be hereditary. It would explain why Edward VI was so sickly.
 
Actually, I've read Katherine of Aragon was fond of religious fasting even while pregnant, and this contributed to her many miscarriages.

It might have also contributed to the weakness of her son.

Of course, I've also heard Henry had syphilis, which can be hereditary. It would explain why Edward VI was so sickly.

Apparently even Mary and Elizabeth showed signs of congenital syphilis. But I don't know how likely it is, as syphilis was a new disease in this time, wasn't it? The fasting thing is very interesting, though, and probably true, given her nature. It's also been proven that Anne Boleyn had some kind of blood problem, or something of the sort--hence why after the birth of Elizabeth she miscarried all children after that.

EDIT:
There's a very interesting youtube video on Henry VIII and the possibility of syphilis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J99nwRs08bU
 
How long would England stay Catholic though?

Probably quite a while. I mean, the Anglican church has never been *particularly* Protestant, and of course excepting the unpleasantness with Cromwell and company it's been the state church since Elizabeth. Clearly, it's *possible* for Catholicism to reign supreme over England. The interaction with Scotland will be interesting, though.
 
It is an old chestnut - and has been pointed out numerous times.
There is NO contemporary evidence that Henry VIII had any signs of syphallis.
We have a lot of evidence surviving from the Tudor Courts of Henry, Edward, Mary and Elizabeth. None of the proscribed treatments that were commonly used for syphallis were used by Henry's doctors.
Henry was relatively abstemious in terms of the number of liaisons he had (compared to say Francis I of France) - we know of only Elizabeth Stafford (and its debateable whether that was a consumated relationship), Bessie Blount (the mother of his only recorded illegitimate child) and Mary Boleyn (sister of his second wife). Given that his ever move was recorded and commented upon its rather unlikely that he had that many more sexual liaisons outside his marriage.

The Tudor defficiency in reproduction - can be blamed on a number of things. A genetic defect that had appeared amongst the descendants of Edward IV and Elizabeth Wydeville (both of whom came from highly fertile families) perhaps.

Of their surviving children who married Elizabeth of York was to bear only four children who survived to adulthood, Anne of York bore no child that survived infancy, Cecily likewise bore no surviving children to her first husband (there's debate over her final obscure marriage), Catherine of York (had only two children that survived to adulthood).
Their grandchildren were no more successful.
It is also worth bearing in mind that the higher up the social care the more medical care you received which was not always to the advantage of your health of well being.

Henry's health for the last decade would have probably decreased the likelihood of his final three wives conceiving a healthy infant but wasn't impossible.

Had his first born son by Catherine of Aragon survived then there is equally no guarantee that he would go on to produce healthy children - in fact Rene of France came from a family with an equally poor track record (her mother Anne of Brittany having being pregnant on at least 13 occasions - only three of her children survived the Dauphin Charles by her first husband who died in infancy from measles and her two daughters Claude and Rene) - Rene was also born in 1500 so a bit old for our putative Henry IX.

A more likely French betrothal for the heir to the English throne would have been Louise or Charlotte of France (1514 and 1516 respectively - the elder Louise died in 1517 and Charlotte in 1524) with their early deaths Francis might have offered Madeleine of France (his favourite child) but this would mean no marriage until the mid 1530's and her health was poor (in our timeline she married James V in 1537 dying within weeks) her surviving sister Margaret was born in 1523 and again would have mean no marriage until the late 1530's.
 
No Spanish Armada, but better relations with Catholics. However, I believe the British Empire may take longer to develop.

No!

Spain, England and France, as the dominant powers in Europe at this point, will still be in conflict with eachother. I think the English Reformation, will start with an Anglo-Spanish War being denounced by the pope, leading to whoever is king then, deciding to break with Rome.
The Reformation, was more the sympton of the struggle between king and pope, which had been acceptable in the Middle Ages, but with the centralization of the state, few European rulers were willing to have an overlord. Things still would have happened and probably exactly as in OTL, just a little bit later and for different reasons.
 
No!

Spain, England and France, as the dominant powers in Europe at this point, will still be in conflict with eachother. I think the English Reformation, will start with an Anglo-Spanish War being denounced by the pope, leading to whoever is king then, deciding to break with Rome.
The Reformation, was more the sympton of the struggle between king and pope, which had been acceptable in the Middle Ages, but with the centralization of the state, few European rulers were willing to have an overlord. Things still would have happened and probably exactly as in OTL, just a little bit later and for different reasons.

But in Spain, France and Austria, centralised Catholic States, there was an active supression of the Reformation. If England dosen't go ptotestant now, why would it do so 50 years time. Particularly if the King is the grandson of the King of France. Conflct between the major Catholic Powers was common, and even if it was denounced by the Pope, few payed attention all the time. Also, if you've just got the Pope on your side because Spain has attacked you, why would you decide to alienate him by declaring a Break with Rome?
 
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