WI: George, Duke of Clarence, weds Mary of Burgundy, daughter of Charles the Bold?

I'm currently reading the War of the Roses by Dan Jones. In it he says that Edward wanted to marry his younger brother to a foreign bride and that a match for George with Mary of Burgundy was considered. What if this marriage had taken place?
 
I'm currently reading the War of the Roses by Dan Jones. In it he says that Edward wanted to marry his younger brother to a foreign bride and that a match for George with Mary of Burgundy was considered. What if this marriage had taken place?
If it takes place with Edwards consent then we might well see Plantagenets with their foot in from the north east prepared to invade France. On the other hand it could lead to George trying to claim the throne by military might
 
If it takes place with Edwards consent then we might well see Plantagenets with their foot in from the north east prepared to invade France. On the other hand it could lead to George trying to claim the throne by military might

Which is why Edward was opposed to it IOTL- he didn't want to empower his disloyal brother. Maybe if you switch things up he'd be willing to let Richard marry that way (though arguably Richard was too important for Edward as a viceroy in the north for Edward to be willing to release his services).
 
Which is why Edward was opposed to it IOTL- he didn't want to empower his disloyal brother. Maybe if you switch things up he'd be willing to let Richard marry that way (though arguably Richard was too important for Edward as a viceroy in the north for Edward to be willing to release his services).
If they'd had another brother perhaps said brother could be used
 
If they'd had another brother perhaps said brother could be used

A surviving Edmund is probably too old and would be already married. But there were a bunch of short lived brothers- William (b. 1447), John (1448) and Thomas (1451).

Of course them surviving could affect things (butterflies and all), and they could turn out like Clarence (and having another brother to share land with could make everyone less happy). In fact, being older, it's likely they'd supplant Richard somehow when it came to lands/offices/appointments/whatever.
 
Which is why Edward was opposed to it IOTL- he didn't want to empower his disloyal brother. Maybe if you switch things up he'd be willing to let Richard marry that way (though arguably Richard was too important for Edward as a viceroy in the north for Edward to be willing to release his services).

In the book, there are two points where Mary was considered for George. The first was before he rebelled and illegally married the Neville daughter when Edward wanted the international marriage. The second was after the rebellions when the Neville wife was dead and Edward was opposed to it. I'm looking at this from the first time. So Edward is able to convince George to go along with the betrothal/marriage and he doesn't wed a Neville and rebel.
 
In the book, there are two points where Mary was considered for George. The first was before he rebelled and illegally married the Neville daughter when Edward wanted the international marriage. The second was after the rebellions when the Neville wife was dead and Edward was opposed to it. I'm looking at this from the first time. So Edward is able to convince George to go along with the betrothal/marriage and he doesn't wed a Neville and rebel.


George has a good spokesperson in his sister, the duchess. He was her favorite sibling, and was not impressed by Edward's actions regarding his execution. Although, if George gets an int'l marriage while Edward's is only a tangential one, I could see there perhaps being more support should Warwick and Clarence try their OTL stunt. ALTHOUGH, that's far from certain, since Charles le Téméraire only exploited the English situation when it suited his purposes to do so (for instance, when EIV was deposed by the Lancastrians, in spite of being married to a Yorkist, Burgundy waited until 1471 before he helped out)
 
It also has the advantage of very likely getting Clarence away from Warwick. If he's already married, after all, he's no longer an option for Warwick's daughters.

Which means Warwick will have to find another potential son-in-law (ironically, a marriage of Anne to Richard might be more acceptable to Edward IV ITTL).
 
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