PC/WI: Edward IV married Mary of Burgundy

Jan Olbracht

Say Elizabeth Woodville dies giving birth to Margaret in 1472. Could widowed Edward IV marry heiress of Burgundy as his second wife in such case? House of York was allied with Burgundy, Edward's sister Margaret of York married Charles the Bold in 1468 while his brother George tried to get Mary's hand IOTL. Edward is certainly more valuable candidate than George. Also, assuming that Edward IV has son(s) by Mary and dies like IOTL, how would succession after his death look like? Declaring Edward V illegitimate would make little sense for Richard of York if his younger half-brothers exist. Would Richard still be able to usurp the throne?
 

VVD0D95

Banned
Jan Olbracht said:
Say Elizabeth Woodville dies giving birth to Margaret in 1472. Could widowed Edward IV marry heiress of Burgundy as his second wife in such case? House of York was allied with Burgundy, Edward's sister Margaret of York married Charles the Bold in 1468 while his brother George tried to get Mary's hand IOTL. Edward is certainly more valuable candidate than George. Also, assuming that Edward IV has son(s) by Mary and dies like IOTL, how would succession after his death look like? Declaring Edward V illegitimate would make little sense for Richard of York if his younger half-brothers exist. Would Richard still be able to usurp the throne?
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You mea. Richard of Gloucester right? And I think he’d probably go for keeping hus nephew on the throne
 

Jan Olbracht

VVD0D95 said:
You mea. Richard of Gloucester right? And I think he’d probably go for keeping hus nephew on the throne
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Yes, that Richard.

So Edward V is not going to the Tower as making him illegitimate would make his half-Burgundian brother his successor instead of Richard of Gloucester, who thus gains nothing from delegitimizing him.
 

VVD0D95

Banned
Jan Olbracht said:
Yes, that Richard.

So Edward V is not going to the Tower as making him illegitimate would make his half-Burgundian brother his successor instead of Richard of Gloucester.
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Yes, and besides I don’t think stillingto. Is coming forward if Elizabeth is already dead
 

Jan Olbracht

I think Mary of Burgundy goes back to Low Countries (where Margaret of York is regent during her absence) with her son and heir after death of E4, so they'll be outside reach of Gloucester, that would make usurpation attempts by Richard even less likely, as he would need to hunt down Mary's children to clear the road to the throne for himself.
 
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isabella

Jan Olbracht said:
Say Elizabeth Woodville dies giving birth to Margaret in 1472. Could widowed Edward IV marry heiress of Burgundy as his second wife in such case? House of York was allied with Burgundy, Edward's sister Margaret of York married Charles the Bold in 1468 while his brother George tried to get Mary's hand IOTL. Edward is certainly more valuable candidate than George. Also, assuming that Edward IV has son(s) by Mary and dies like IOTL, how would succession after his death look like? Declaring Edward V illegitimate would make little sense for Richard of York if his younger half-brothers exist. Would Richard still be able to usurp the throne?
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Well Richard would then be regent for any child of Edward and Mary so I highly doubt he and Stillington would be interested in doing that. Specially with Elizabeth dead by so long time and her eldest daughter(s) likely already married abroad
 

Jan Olbracht

War for Burgundian Inheritance after death of Charles the Bold could be seen as HYW restarted. Louis XI is going to take Burgundy proper anyway, parts of Burgundian Inheritance would be kept by Mary, but fate of Artois is uncertain. One good news for Louis XI is the fact, that England and Burgundy would be inherited by different sons of Edward IV.
 

isabella

Edward IV of England (1442-1483) married Elizabeth Woodville (1437-1473) (a) in 1464 Mary, Duchess of Burgundy (1457-1490) in 1474

1a) Elizabeth (1466-?) married Maximilian I of Austria, Holy Roman Emperor (1459-?) in 1480
2a) Mary (1467-?) married John, King of Denmark, Sweden and Norway (1455-?) in 1483
3a) Cecily (1469-?) married Charles VIII, King of France (1470-?) in 1484
4a) Edward V, King of England (1470-?) married Joanna of Castile and Aragon (1479-?)
5a) Katherine (1472-?) married James IV, King of Scotland (1473-?)
6a) Richard, Duke of York (1473-?) married Margaret, Countess of Warwick and Salisbury* (1473-?)
7b) Charles, King of Lotharingia, Duke of Burgundy (1475-?) married Isabella, Duchess of Lorraine** (1473-?)
8b) Philip, Duke of Brittany, Earl of March (1477-?) married Anne, Duchess of Brittany (1477-?)
9b) Margaret (1480-?) married John III, King of Spain (1478-?)

*ATL Edward of Clarence died young so Margaret (with her inheritance) was engaged to Richard of York while Anne de Mowbray (and her own inheritance) was engaged and then married Edward of Middleham, Duke of Gloucester

**ATL daughter and only child of Nicholas of Anjou (1448-1473) and Anne of France (1461-?). Anne remarried to Peter of Bourbon in 1475

Between Edward, Mary, Margaret and Richard all the kids of Edward married really well.
Elizabeth of York married Maximilian as Burgundian proxy (with an huge dowry paid by Burgundy who was part of the price for getting a Royal Crown for her half-brother)
 
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Ivan Lupo

If Elizabeth is dying in 1472, then her son Richard is butterflied out of existence.

Prince Edward is in a precarious position. Without his mother to protect him and advocate for his rights, the Woodvilles at court are going to find themselves outnumbered and outmaneuvered by pro-Burgundian factions.
 

Tyler96

If Elizabeth dies in 1472, then there's been a decade for Woodville influence to erode somewhat. Richard is thus less likely to see them as a threat to his own position that requires elimination.

The big changes probably relate to the diplomatic situation...
  • Would a closer alignment with Burgundy change the outcome of the 1475 English expedition to France?
  • Does Charles the Bold die on schedule? Because then Edward IV (or at least armies fighting in his name) is likely to spend the last few years of his life fighting for his wife's inheritance. Changed circumstances might lead Edward to avoid his fatal illness and eke out a few more years, but given his lifestyle...
  • Does English involvement on the continent mean the War with Scotland is averted because they're too busy? Could the French prevail on the Scots to open up a second front with England- or is Scotland under James III too much of a basket case to try this?
 
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