The title says it all, what if Richard, 3rd Duke of York doesn’t become the Lord Protector for Henry VI in 1454? The POD is simple, the Lord High Chancellor, Archbishop John Kemp doesn’t die. Even during Henry VI’s madness, English government could continue thanks to the Lord High Chancellor. Richard of York only became the Lord Protector after Kemp’s death. So keeping him alive should prevent that from happening. Though, Kemp was unpopular at the time, so might York exploit that to try force a Lord Protectorship through? I imagine he might have less support since some sceptics won’t be won over since they haven’t seen greener pastures under him. Though would that be enough to make a difference in the long run?
WI: Richard, Duke of York doesn’t become Lord Protector in 1454?
- Thread starter RedKing
- Start date
I think a good way for York to still be powerful but not as much as he was OTL is giving him leadership over the remaining French lands that were still controlled by England (like Castillon and Maine, but you'd need a POD earlier than that, and for Marguerite of Anjou to not be Queen of England)
With or without York, Lancaster will have to deal with effects of loss of (almost) all of holdings in France. With financial problems of the crown, and so many english vetarans returning from France without any form of reward, people were looking for what for.
Funny, I was just thinking about best possible wife material for Henry VI.
Marie d'Armagnac is a good choice (one of her sisters - Isabelle, the Lady of the Four Valleys - was being considered for Henry VI IOTL)
I mean, strictly speaking that would be weakening since he’d inherit the nightmare that was somehow stopping France from conquering English France when you can’t pay your own soldiers. It’d hurt his reputation in the long run.
Indeed and without Yorks reforms there’s going to be less alleviation than before. Maybe the government introduces some of them in Henry VI’s absence.
A Portuguese Infanta would be best imo, the large dowry and trade that could be derived from it would benefit England in the long run.
In that case, Marguerite of Anjou could wed Friedrich III (as her grandmother wanted) and Eleanor of Portugal could wed Henry VI