WI: Mary Tudor (Henry VIII's daughter) had fled the country in 1535?

13th of May, 1535: After a rough sea voyage and a slow progress to the court, Mary arrives at Brussels. Weary, thin and sickly-looking, the young woman almost collapses upon entering and is moved into a comfortable room by the Empress (Charles V was away due to a meeting in Madrid for reasons pertaining to boring political stuff) where she tells her story (with some embellishment). With stories of pirates and storms, attacks and near-death experiences the self-exiled princess charms the court. She retires for a time though, to build her strength and return to full health.
 
3rd of April, 1535: Henry VIII is informed of his daughters’ escape, with a story that adds ‘extra’ parts that place the blame on several guards. Infuriated, the King orders the deaths of 7 guards as well as several other people in the household. The Princess Elizabeth is brought to court for her safety, as the King now fears a full on rebellion to follow; a paranoid belief that is compounded by a small riot in the north (entirely separate of Mary’s leaving; it is actually due to a rise in taxes). The Lady Clere and the Lady Shelton are also sent to the tower, though Anne pushes for their release. Henry is angry, and there will be hell to pay.
 
19th of April, 1535: Catherine of Aragon is sent to the Tower of London under the direct orders of the King. When she asks the reason why, she is told that it is treason; she will be tried and beheaded for her crimes. Supposedly the King was shown a series of letters between Catherine and Mary that discuss the plan to send her to Brussels and their hope to topple the king due to his continued ‘awful nature’. Waiting in the tower, Catherine writes long letters to Henry pleading for her life. Henry returns all the letters, unopened.
 
20th of April, 1535: Queen Anne Boleyn announces her newest pregnancy, sure that this one will carry to term. Henry is excited, feeling that he will finally get his longed for son. The queen makes sure to send a letter to Catherine of Aragon, with an offer to ‘save her’ if she will recognise her fault in this case. Catherine is obviously insulted, and sends a letter to the queen in return, that simply says:

“Never forget that I too had many children by his majesty, but only one survived. How can you be sure you will be different?”

Accompanying the letter is a cap and toy of a child, with the information that these were the possessions of Catherine’s son. The message was obvious. Catherine believed that the King would have no living sons.
 
15th of May, 1535: Charles V arrives back at Brussels, where he enthusiastically greets Mary. He speaks to her of possible marriages, of her journey to the court and of England. When discussing the latter, she says that her father is still King, and she would never go against him in any way (other than fleeing the country) unless it was endorsed by God himself. But Charles goaded her, informing the poor girl that her mother had been sent to the tower, and was most likely to be hanged. Instead of reacting in anger however, Mary instead devolved into tears and had to be consoled by her niece Maria. Obviously the girl would need some sort of holy push, and Charles knew exactly what to do. He sent emissaries to Rome; the Pope had to hear his plan.
 
All the advice given to Mary at this period from the Imperial Ambassador and her own domestic supporters was 1) To submit to her father in terms of the supremacy and 2) to not leave the country.
To flee would have placed her at the head of any future foreign invasion and most recognised that whilst there was considerable domestic sympathy and support it would be significantly erroded if she was seen as the puppet of a foreign power.
 
All the advice given to Mary at this period from the Imperial Ambassador and her own domestic supporters was 1) To submit to her father in terms of the supremacy and 2) to not leave the country.
To flee would have placed her at the head of any future foreign invasion and most recognised that whilst there was considerable domestic sympathy and support it would be significantly erroded if she was seen as the puppet of a foreign power.

agreed, Mary leaving was the last resort only to be undertaken if her life was in danger, as often people believed it was from Anne, but yes, the English were not ready or willing to support a foreign invasion no matter who was its titular head

whatever interesting PODs that Mary leaving England sets off, a Spanish conquest of England in the name of the Catholic Church isn't one of them

I would be interested to see if her leaving would lead to changes with Henry FitzRoy
 
Could it not perhaps force Henry into submission/reconciliation? Both with Catherine and Mary, and the dismissal of Anne and her bastard?
 
Could it not perhaps force Henry into submission/reconciliation? Both with Catherine and Mary, and the dismissal of Anne and her bastard?

not his style Henry was insanely proud and not very good at eating crow

another thing, bother of Henry's Daughters totally worshipped him, Mary's main issue with Elizabeth was she looked more like him then Mary herself and it drove her crazy, drove her crazy to share being "Harry's daughter" with some one, they both felt there was no great compliment then to be compared with him, they adored him totally, so I don't know what would convince Mary to over throw him, she can be talked into believing its a war to free him from wicked council and thus reunite him with her mother and the Catholic Church but she'll never take the crown from him, and he'll never be force into anything
 
16th of May, 1535: The Lady Clere and the Lady Shelton are released from the tower with heavy fines, as well as the order to stay away from court. While many see this as a blessing, some of the more Catholic nobles see this as a sign of the queens waning powers; reasoning that before she could’ve had the woman brought back to court with honors. This is further compounded by a very public argument between Henry and Anne over the use of the money that is brought in from the monasteries. But Anne is still pregnant, and Henry is still careful not to unsettle her too much. We wouldn't want Anne to suffer a miscarriage, would we?
 
26th of May, 1535: Charles V’s emissaries arrive in Rome, with a letter from the Emperor. It basically said that Henry VIII had forfeited his right to rule through way of being a heretic and treating his lawful wife (Catherine of Aragon) in an ‘evil and rude’ way; and as such Henry Tudor should be deposed in favour of his daughter, the Princess Mary. While it was early days yet, the Pope was definitely on the same page as Charles V, so he began to mull it over.
 
30th of May, 1535: Catherine of Aragon’s trial begins. The former queen stands in front of a jury of nobles (mostly those related to the queen) and says her piece. In a sample of her speech:

“…so, peers of the realm, why am I here? What have I done but protect my child, who is the only true child of the King? I did nothing against His Majesty, and would never oppose his true authority…”

But for all her arguments, for all her adamant beliefs, Catherine of Aragon is charged with treason and will be punished as the King sees fit. The woman is then sent to the tower to await her punishment.
 
31st of May, 1535: A heavily pregnant Anne Boleyn falls in front of the King to plead for the life of Catherine of Aragon. While the court watches confusedly, Henry is most displeased. After all Henry had gone through for her, after he had put his former wife on trial, this ungrateful wench is trying to save that treasonous woman. But, in an attempt to save face the King pulls Anne Boleyn up and tells her to worry about their son, not the dowager Princess of Wales. So Anne went back to her rooms, and cried for the position that Princess Mary had put her in.
 
14th of June, 1535: News of Catherine’s trial travel to Brussels, along with the story of Anne Boleyn pleading for Catherine’s life. While the former brings the exiled princess stress, the Anne Boleyn story is unbelievable to her. But that is the least of her problems. Now that she is settled in the court, Charles V is looking for a suitable husband for her. The two have meeting overlooking suitable candidates, but are unable to come to a conclusion. As a princess, Mary wants a man who is equal or higher to her in rank. But Charles is realistic and offers her marriages that will either mean she has to marry someone of a lower rank or who is significantly younger or older than her. So they continue to look. But Mary is young yet, and marriage will come soon.

* Question: Who would be a good match for Mary? I don't want to just marry her off to Phillip or Luis, so who else is there?
 
14th of June, 1535: News of Catherine’s trial travel to Brussels, along with the story of Anne Boleyn pleading for Catherine’s life. While the former brings the exiled princess stress, the Anne Boleyn story is unbelievable to her. But that is the least of her problems. Now that she is settled in the court, Charles V is looking for a suitable husband for her. The two have meeting overlooking suitable candidates, but are unable to come to a conclusion. As a princess, Mary wants a man who is equal or higher to her in rank. But Charles is realistic and offers her marriages that will either mean she has to marry someone of a lower rank or who is significantly younger or older than her. So they continue to look. But Mary is young yet, and marriage will come soon.

* Question: Who would be a good match for Mary? I don't want to just marry her off to Phillip or Luis, so who else is there?

She can also marry a Yorkist heir, Reginald Pole.
 
11th of June, 1535: Catherine of Aragon is beheaded in a public show in which she is said to have ‘died as a queen’. Arriving in a black dress trimmed in ermine, she recites a speech telling the people to have faith and to obey the King as chosen by God. She is then beheaded, repeating the words:

“…in the lord I trust…”

The end of an era, Catherine of Aragon’s death symbolised Henry severing the last link to his old life and to the Catholic Church. There is no going back from here.
 
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