WI: Hundred Years' War in the 1500s?

In a scenario where Edward IV lives a bit longer and the Prince of Wales is still betrothed to Anne of Brittany, it seems a war with France is pretty likely. A Brittany in personal union with England is unacceptable to France, making war likely. How would this conflict likely go, does this lead to a series of wars between England and France in lieu of the Italian Wars, how will the rest of Europe be affected.

All credit goes to @Zulfurium for suggesting this.
 
You've butteflied a recognizable Henry VIII reign away, meaning England stays Catholic.
You know, the Reformation was a funny thing IOTL, there were opportunities for it to have gone an alternate route (as the TL Their Cross to Bear demonstrates). Who knows the Reformation will even happen ITTL, or if it does, if it will follow the same course as OTL.

I will say though, the Papacy with no (or greatly reduced) Italian Wars will be interesting. It'll also be interesting to see what the HRE, Spain, and Portugal do in this case.
 
In a scenario where Edward IV lives a bit longer and the Prince of Wales is still betrothed to Anne of Brittany, it seems a war with France is pretty likely. A Brittany in personal union with England is unacceptable to France, making war likely. How would this conflict likely go, does this lead to a series of wars between England and France in lieu of the Italian Wars, how will the rest of Europe be affected.

All credit goes to @Zulfurium for suggesting this.

There are few problems with this affair evolving into the 100YW.

1st, legalistic, as a result of the Mad War (la Guerre Folle) Anne's father agreed to the condition that his daughters were not to marry without the approval of the King of France (see what happened to her marriage to Maximilian Hapsburg regardless Austrian diplomatic protests to everyone including the Pope).

2nd, military, in the terms of the comparative military and economic strengths situation in 1480's was quite different from one in the XIV or early XV century. The balance changed into the French favor and English did not have a tactical edge which they enjoyed most of the 100YW (and lost by the end of it). Not to mention that England had been exhausted by the Wars of the Roses and hardly could afford a prolonged war. It is highly questionable if at that time England could conduct a war against France: when Edward IV landed in Calais in 1475 and found that Charles Bold is not coming he was more than eager to start negotiations (Louis XI, in his usual style, found that it will be cheaper to pay him off than to fight a war; the payoff was seemingly easy for France but big enough for Edward to "recoup his finances"). As the 1st of the Italian Wars demonstrated, France could raise an army of approximately 30K (Charles had 25,000 French troops and 8,000 Swiss) with the biggest and most modern artillery park of the time. Phillip de Comnines gave some high assessment of the Ed's landing force but his numbers were based upon a hearsay: he never saw these troops.

3rd, political, at least in OTL, the Franco-Breton war of 1488 - 91 resulted in the French occupation of the Duchy (and Anne's engagement to Charles VIII, notwithstanding her "marriage" to Max Hapsburg). IIRC, most of the Breton nobility switched on the French side even before the war was over and why would not they if the marriage agreement was guaranteeing union of Brittany and France with Brittany preserving de facto independence with a guaranteed separate succession if there will be more than one child (female child or 2nd male child would inherit the duchy)? In OTL, it was inherited by Anne's only surviving daughter who became Queen of France by marrying Francis I. There was no serious reason for them to side with the English and to make the duchy a theater of the prolonged war and no excessively good memories about the English presence in the area.
 
There are few problems with this affair evolving into the 100YW.

1st, legalistic, as a result of the Mad War (la Guerre Folle) Anne's father agreed to the condition that his daughters were not to marry without the approval of the King of France (see what happened to her marriage to Maximilian Hapsburg regardless Austrian diplomatic protests to everyone including the Pope).

2nd, military, in the terms of the comparative military and economic strengths situation in 1480's was quite different from one in the XIV or early XV century. The balance changed into the French favor and English did not have a tactical edge which they enjoyed most of the 100YW (and lost by the end of it). Not to mention that England had been exhausted by the Wars of the Roses and hardly could afford a prolonged war. It is highly questionable if at that time England could conduct a war against France: when Edward IV landed in Calais in 1475 and found that Charles Bold is not coming he was more than eager to start negotiations (Louis XI, in his usual style, found that it will be cheaper to pay him off than to fight a war; the payoff was seemingly easy for France but big enough for Edward to "recoup his finances"). As the 1st of the Italian Wars demonstrated, France could raise an army of approximately 30K (Charles had 25,000 French troops and 8,000 Swiss) with the biggest and most modern artillery park of the time. Phillip de Comnines gave some high assessment of the Ed's landing force but his numbers were based upon a hearsay: he never saw these troops.

3rd, political, at least in OTL, the Franco-Breton war of 1488 - 91 resulted in the French occupation of the Duchy (and Anne's engagement to Charles VIII, notwithstanding her "marriage" to Max Hapsburg). IIRC, most of the Breton nobility switched on the French side even before the war was over and why would not they if the marriage agreement was guaranteeing union of Brittany and France with Brittany preserving de facto independence with a guaranteed separate succession if there will be more than one child (female child or 2nd male child would inherit the duchy)? In OTL, it was inherited by Anne's only surviving daughter who became Queen of France by marrying Francis I. There was no serious reason for them to side with the English and to make the duchy a theater of the prolonged war and no excessively good memories about the English presence in the area.
Thank you, this is all very helpful.

1. It seems this agreement would likely be butterflied considering events between Brittany, England, and France ITTL, wouldn't it?

2. Maximilian of Austria had been wanting Ed IV to invade France in 1482, and Max did invade in 1486 (does anyone have more info on this, I can't find anything on it). With that in mind, is it possible England and the Empire could agree to war with France.
 
Yes, of course. Very nice of you not to let the poor girl down. :)

Her marriage and her son turning on her were punishment enough. And of course, Anne tried to change the rules to get Renée to inherit once she realized that Claude would be married off to François. I think she must've felt as though she drew the perennial short straw (but wasn't there a scene when Renée came back to France later in life about who was actually rightful ruler of Brittany?)
 
Her marriage and her son turning on her were punishment enough.

This can be identified as "self-inflicted wounds" (personally, I have very little sympathy toward the fanatical Calvinists or fanatical anything) and probably it took a dedicated effort on her side to piss off her husband to such a degree that he got Inquisition involved. And to be a rabid Calvinist with a daughter married, out of all people, to Francis de Guise could be quite frustrating (OTOH, perhaps it provided an extra security).

And of course, Anne tried to change the rules to get Renée to inherit once she realized that Claude would be married off to François.

Anne was consistent: even as the Queen of France she was 1st and foremost the Duchess of Brittany. OTOH, if the schema of marrying Claude to Max with Brittany AND the French possessions in Italy was implemented, the consequences could be quite interesting.

I think she must've felt as though she drew the perennial short straw (but wasn't there a scene when Renée came back to France later in life about who was actually rightful ruler of Brittany?)

As far as I can tell, by that time the issue became rather theoretical both because Brittany was incorporated into France (or was going to be in a near future) and because Renee did not have any serious backing.
 
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