Catherine of Navarre? Now there's a bride I've never seen suggested for him before. Care to explain your reasoning?
Out of question for Edward V. She is Louis XI’s niece after all so she can realistically marry her OTL husband, her cousin the Dauphin/Charles VIII or another French noble, at the worst Juan, Prince of Asturias but Edward V is not realistic (and neither is his brother Richard)...Plot Twist! Edward V marries Catherine of Navarre!
The reason for which some names are often thrown out for Edward IV’s children’s are their OTL engagement before his death:The name often thrown out for Edward V is Anne of Brittany, with Spain and Scotland getting one of Edward's sisters (I believe Cecily for James III or IV and Anne/Catherine for the Prince of Asturias)
A wedding between Clarence and Mary can realistically go on only before his wedding to Isabel Neville.I am currently reading Josephine Wilkinson's biography of the young Richard III and she mentions that George of Clarence was mooted as a husband for Mary of Burgundy before Margaret of York ever married Charles of Burgundy. Now I know for a fact that Margaret of York was keen to marry her brother to her stepdaughter once Isabel Neville died, so that's twice the match was mooted.
What if it had actually gone ahead in 1477, after Isabel Neville died in the December of 1476? What might that have done for the House of York, if Clarence had become jure uxoris Duke of Burgundy? In the period leading up to Edward's death, but most especially in 1483, when Edward IV died? And what would it have done for Burgundy. George and Mary both seem to have been fertile OTL, so I'm assuming they would have had kids, which would have kept Burgundy out of the HRE for at least another generation...
Thoughts?
Actually, Mary of Burgundy can marry Edward IV if Elizabeth Woodville dies after the birth of her second son Richard.A wedding between Clarence and Mary can realistically go on only before his wedding to Isabel Neville.
After the death of Isabel George was really too compromised for being able to marry Mary with Edward IV supporting the match...
The only possible realistic Yorkist match for Mary of Burgundy is Richard, Duke of Gloucester either instead of his wedding to Anne Neville or better if his wife die early enough (between the birth of her son Edward of Middleham in 1473 and early 1477)
It seems the latter option may be more likely, what could make Margaret change her mind on Clarence?As has been pointed out narrow windows of opportunity.
The match was initially proposed in 1466 when Charles of Burgundy was contemplating marriage with Margaret of York. Edward IV's counter-proposal was a match between George and Mary.
The deal was delayed because of Charles' reluctance over Mary marrying George.
Louis XI also intervened wanting to prevent an Anglo-Burgundian alliance - making alternative offers to both sides.
Edward then looked for Margaret to marry Peter Constable of Castille but his death ended that.
In 1467 Edward and Warwick had fallen out and Charles was now the reigning Duke - so Edward reopened discussions and a match with Margaret was arranged with no mention of his marrying George to Mary by now.
The next opp was in 77 when Margaret the now Dowager Duchess pushed Mary into marrying Maximilian (rather than any of the other offers including that of the now widowed Clarence)
I don't think she did - Charles before his death was keen on Maximilian as Mary's husband - Margaret doesn't seem to have changed her opinion and encouraged Mary in that direction. Clarence himself tendered himself for Mary in the 70s and Edward IV himself opposed the idea (by then Clarence was hardly in favour with his brother)It seems the latter option may be more likely, what could make Margaret change her mind on Clarence?
What about Mary of Burgundy having younger sisters and marrying George of Clarence.
No, Mary would not be the only heir but heiress in the Netherlands and her other sister is the heiress to Burgundy proper.Mary, or her younger sister? I could see a younger daughter of Burgundy becoming Duchess of Clarence. Possibly instead of Isabel Neville...
No, Mary would not be the only heir but heiress in the Netherlands and her other sister is the heiress to Burgundy proper.
How would the foreign powers (Specifically France and Austria) react to this marriage? Would this start a war because I’d assume many would think England would be took powerful
No, Mary would not be the only heir but heiress in the Netherlands and her other sister is the heiress to Burgundy proper.
Yes, but she and her sister needs to partition Burgundy between them.Mary would also be the heiress of Burgundy proper, unless one does not recognize female inheritance (or through her line) there, in which case French will claim it as a reverted fief (and/or appanage). Which view will win, depends on tradition and strength, but the French position would have been strengthened, if a younger sister of Mary would have been married to the Dauphin.
No they wouldn't in the most part. Mary as the eldest, would be treated as, the heir in the vast majority of the Burgundian French and Imperial fiefs. Her younger sister would be able to get a significant dowry though.Yes, but she and her sister needs to partition Burgundy between them.