WI: Henry Brandon survives

Henry Brandon, son of Charles Brandon and Mary Tudor, was Earl of Lincoln, heir to his father's Duchy of Suffolk and the only English and male heir to the throne in the later years of Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. He died in 1534 in his early teens, but if he survived, he would have been one of the richest nobles in the land, undisputably legitimate, English male.

He would have been an ideal candidate for Mary's hand, both in Henry VIII's and Edward's reign, or Edward's heir, assuming the exclusion of his two (Bastard?) sisters. Likewise, he would have made an ideal consort for Mary Queen of Scots, a more potent Darnley if you will.

Thoughts?
 
Henry Brandon

I don't see him marrying Mary Tudor. I do see him being very influential at the court of Edward VI and if he had had issue by then, one of them could possibly have succeeded Edward. This does not rule out Mary Tudor eventually becoming queen though.
 
I don't see him marrying Mary Tudor. I do see him being very influential at the court of Edward VI and if he had had issue by then, one of them could possibly have succeeded Edward. This does not rule out Mary Tudor eventually becoming queen though.

Henry VIII could have married Mary to Henry Brandon in the late 1520s/early 1530s, ensuring legitimate Anglican heirs to the throne. Alternatively the Seymours or Dudleys or even Edward VI himself could have done the same if Henry Brandon survived; maybe even handing him the throne and using that medieval principle where a woman couldn't inheit but could transmit fiefs. I dunno...I've always thought it'd have made perfect political and genealogical sense.
 
Henry Brandon

Henry VIII could have married Mary to Henry Brandon in the late 1520s/early 1530s, ensuring legitimate Anglican heirs to the throne. Alternatively the Seymours or Dudleys or even Edward VI himself could have done the same if Henry Brandon survived; maybe even handing him the throne and using that medieval principle where a woman couldn't inheit but could transmit fiefs. I dunno...I've always thought it'd have made perfect political and genealogical sense.

But was'nt Princess Mary declared illegitimate when Henry divorced Catherine of Aragon? I could see Henry VIII making Henry Brandon his heir only if Edward died very young or was never born. Were Henry Brandon and Mary Tudor around the same age?
 
But was'nt Princess Mary declared illegitimate when Henry divorced Catherine of Aragon? I could see Henry VIII making Henry Brandon his heir only if Edward died very young or was never born. Were Henry Brandon and Mary Tudor around the same age?

There's actually two Henry Brandons: one born in 1516, another born 1523. Mary was born in 1516.

Even as a bastard, she was still in line for the succession I believe?
 
Even as a bastard, she was still in line for the succession I believe?

After the Third Succession Act in 1543, yes.

The First Succession Act (1533) declared Mary a bastard, excluded her from the succession, and declared Elizabeth to be Henry's heir. The Second Succession Act (1536) also declared Elizabeth a bastard and excluded her from the succession as well, and gave Henry the authority to name his own successor in default of legitimate offspring by Jane Seymour (Henry VIII probably had his illegitimate son Henry FitzRoy in mind here, but FitzRoy died shortly before the Act was passed). The Third Succession Act confirmed Prince Edward as Henry's heir, reinserted Mary and Elizabeth into the line of succession after Edward (without legitimizing them -- legally, they remained bastards despite having their eligibility to inherit restored), and confirmed Henry's authority to name the line of succession after Elizabeth in his will.
 
After the Third Succession Act in 1543, yes.

The First Succession Act (1533) declared Mary a bastard, excluded her from the succession, and declared Elizabeth to be Henry's heir. The Second Succession Act (1536) also declared Elizabeth a bastard and excluded her from the succession as well, and gave Henry the authority to name his own successor in default of legitimate offspring by Jane Seymour (Henry VIII probably had his illegitimate son Henry FitzRoy in mind here, but FitzRoy died shortly before the Act was passed). The Third Succession Act confirmed Prince Edward as Henry's heir, reinserted Mary and Elizabeth into the line of succession after Edward (without legitimizing them -- legally, they remained bastards despite having their eligibility to inherit restored), and confirmed Henry's authority to name the line of succession after Elizabeth in his will.

Interesting. Provided Henry Brandon survives, then Edward's device could very easily make him King (side-lining the two bastard sisters), marrying him to Mary for good measure.
 
Interesting idea. I think all the possibilities depend on what religion Henry is. I think he would have been brought up as a Catholic due to his mother's influence, although his father did have Protestant leanings. Whether young Henry would have converted after his mother's death in 1533, I don't know.

Just some things to think about:-

1. If Mary does marry Henry then I believe a papal dispensation would have been needed for first cousins to have married BUT if they married in Henry VIII's lifetime, I'm not sure whether Mary would have insisted on there being one for fear of what her father might do to her (?)

2. If the marriage is suggested during the reign of Edward VI, I think Mary would have stood her ground about obtaining a dispensation as she she showed in OTL she wasn't worried about standing up to Edward and his counsellors in matters of religion.

3. If Henry and Mary did marry and not for love and Mary still became Queen in her own right, might she have sought an annulment on the grounds of being forced into marriage against her will and also with someone she viewed as a heretic (if Henry Brandon is a practicing Protestant).
 
Interesting idea. I think all the possibilities depend on what religion Henry is. I think he would have been brought up as a Catholic due to his mother's influence, although his father did have Protestant leanings. Whether young Henry would have converted after his mother's death in 1533, I don't know.
It might also be worth pointing out that his father's next wife Catherine Willoughby was a hardcore Protestant. So if that still happens (might not obviously, but it occurred in 1533/4 IIRC) there will be more Protestant influences.
 
It might also be worth pointing out that his father's next wife Catherine Willoughby was a hardcore Protestant. So if that still happens (might not obviously, but it occurred in 1533/4 IIRC) there will be more Protestant influences.

Good point but another thing about Catherine Willoughby was that she was originally betrothed to marry Henry Brandon before his father married her himself. In OTL, Henry died 6 months or so after the wedding but if he didn't that might have been something that drives a wedge between Henry and his father and new stepmother, so they might not have had as much influence over him as they would have liked, perhaps.
 
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