WI: Edward IV marries Isabella of Castile

So I just read that apparently Henry of Castile offered his sister Isabella (future queen Isabella I) to Edward IV as a potential marriage candidate but Edward refused.

So my question is what if, instead of later marrying Elizabeth Woodville as he did OTL, Edward instead accepts and marries Isabella?
 
So I just read that apparently Henry of Castile offered his sister Isabella (future queen Isabella I) to Edward IV as a potential marriage candidate but Edward refused.

So my question is what if, instead of later marrying Elizabeth Woodville as he did OTL, Edward instead accepts and marries Isabella?

Did Edward refuse? Or Isabella? Since I think she was smart enough to know that by leaving Castile to marry abroad, she'd be leaving the field to her brother and her (possibly) bastard niece
 
Did Edward refuse? Or Isabella? Since I think she was smart enough to know that by leaving Castile to marry abroad, she'd be leaving the field to her brother and her (possibly) bastard niece

Edward? When Richard III was looking for an Iberian match Isabella admitted that she'd been insulted that Edward had chosen a mere "widow of England" as his wife.

But at the time of a potential Edward/Isabella marriage her younger half-brother Alfonso is still alive, so by marrying the king of England she wouldn't (at the time) think she was giving up a shot at the throne.
 
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Definitely Edward rejected that match. And at that time Isabella's younger brother was still alive (Edward married Elizabeth Woodville in 1464, Alfonso of Castile died in 1468) and he was the heir who was forced upon their older half-brother Henry IV.
Tyler: Isabella and Alfonso were both born from the second wedding of John II of Castile with Isabella of Portugal, while Henry IV was the only surving son of John and his first wife Maria of Aragon
 
Edward? When Richard III was looking for an Iberian match Isabella admitted that she'd been insulted that Edward had chosen a mere "widow of England" as his wife.
This is spot on.

And, as the aptly named @isabella says, the rejection was definitely from Edward's end.

As to the What If in the OP, I'll concentrate on England, as my Spanish knowledge of the period is pretty sketchy. So, no Wydville match for Edward means:

  • No massive family for the king to dole gifts and titles out to.
  • No massive family of suddenly eligible singletons essentially flooding the marriage market.
  • One of the people locked out of said market was Warwick (or his daughters).
  • The diabolical marriage of one of Elizabeth's brothers to the aged, thrice widowed and immensely rich Duchess of Norfolk is avoided. That hurt the Wydvilles and the king.
  • A different queen may help produce an heir rather earlier, which means that there's more chance of them being an adult when daddy dearest shuffles off his mortal coil.
Moreover, one of the people locked out of the marriage market was Richard Neville, better known as Warwick the Kingmaker. If he can get one of his girlies hitched to a Herbert, or Buckingham, then the bunfight between Richard and Clarence might be much less than it was in OTL. Also, he's generally not forced out of the picture by all these in-laws looking for trinkets, land, titles and favours.

Might be huge changes. Might avoid the Readeption. Which, of course, may mean that Edward of Westminster, by all accounts a nasty little scrote, is still out there, waiting for a chance.
 
Tyler: Isabella and Alfonso were both born from the second wedding of John II of Castile with Isabella of Portugal, while Henry IV was the only surving son of John and his first wife Maria of Aragon

Duly noted.

Moreover, one of the people locked out of the marriage market was Richard Neville, better known as Warwick the Kingmaker. If he can get one of his girlies hitched to a Herbert, or Buckingham, then the bunfight between Richard and Clarence might be much less than it was in OTL. Also, he's generally not forced out of the picture by all these in-laws looking for trinkets, land, titles and favours.

Might be huge changes. Might avoid the Readeption. Which, of course, may mean that Edward of Westminster, by all accounts a nasty little scrote, is still out there, waiting for a chance.

Edward and Warwick will still clash over foreign policy (pro-Burgundy v pro-France), and Warwick might still dislike his protege increasingly asserting himself and exercising independent judgement.

Warwick might still try for a royal marriage for his daughters and be miffed when it's turned down, though the possibility of other matches will lessen his anger. In any case Edward would be well-advised to keep a close eye on the marriage negotiations surrounding Warwick's daughters- they're heiresses to a vast estate and he'll probably want them married to a dedicated Yorkist.

That begs the question, who would Clarence and Gloucester marry if the Neville girls are off the table?

Whilst a major source of his discontent is gone (the Woodvilles), Clarence might still try something. Though he probably won't get anywhere, especially if Warwick remains loyal.

No readeption also means there's a far larger core of Lancastrian leadership twiddling their thumbs on the continent- two Beauforts, Exeter, some Courtenays. So they'll avoid being gutted by Barnet/Tewkesbury and potentially remain a potent threat for longer.
 
This is spot on.

And, as the aptly named @isabella says, the rejection was definitely from Edward's end.

As to the What If in the OP, I'll concentrate on England, as my Spanish knowledge of the period is pretty sketchy. So, no Wydville match for Edward means:

  • No massive family for the king to dole gifts and titles out to.
  • No massive family of suddenly eligible singletons essentially flooding the marriage market.
  • One of the people locked out of said market was Warwick (or his daughters).
  • The diabolical marriage of one of Elizabeth's brothers to the aged, thrice widowed and immensely rich Duchess of Norfolk is avoided. That hurt the Wydvilles and the king.
  • A different queen may help produce an heir rather earlier, which means that there's more chance of them being an adult when daddy dearest shuffles off his mortal coil.
Moreover, one of the people locked out of the marriage market was Richard Neville, better known as Warwick the Kingmaker. If he can get one of his girlies hitched to a Herbert, or Buckingham, then the bunfight between Richard and Clarence might be much less than it was in OTL. Also, he's generally not forced out of the picture by all these in-laws looking for trinkets, land, titles and favours.

Might be huge changes. Might avoid the Readeption. Which, of course, may mean that Edward of Westminster, by all accounts a nasty little scrote, is still out there, waiting for a chance.
I agree here. I also foresee problems with Prince Edward of Lancaster. If the readeption never occurs, he would still be alive when Edward Iv dies..
 
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