An Italian Bride for a Bastard Prince: Henry FitzRoy marries Catherine de' Medici

[Historico]

I just discovered this morning that the 1st Duke of Richmond & Somerset, Henry FitzRoy(Henry VIII's Bastard Son) was in a proposal to Pope Clement's niece..."Duchess" Catherine De' Medici. Im not exactly sure when the proposal was offered, or why it didn't go throgh, but I do think it would be fascinating to see Catherine potentially play a huge role in Tudor-era politics.

Say the fourteen year old's are married in 1533(The year when they respecitley married Mary Howard and Henri, Duc de Orleans), what are the chances they could produce issue? If FitzRoy survives his bout with TB ITTL, could she strengthen her husband's resolve during the succession mess of the 1540's? Or if he dies as per IOTL and without an heir, would Catherine return to Italy or potentially uses her influence as Dowager Duchess of Richmond & Somerset to influence Court politics?

I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with

 

[Zireael]

I don't see a reason why they couldn't produce offspring.

Also, this might lead to Fitzroy being legitimized...

 

[Thoresby]

I think Henry is still going to go for a divorce and more children so having his (bastard) son married to the Pope's niece might have some significant religious butterflies down the line. Mostly because Catherine de' Medici was a much poorer and less noble bride than Mary Howard was. Remember despite her relation to the papal throne her father was very much a minor and temporary Duke. Henry FitzRoy's survival would be the major change of this scenario. Assuming like OTL all Henry VIII manages to produce are miscarriages, girls and the sickly Edward VI then he is going to be in a very strong position to act as an alt Lady Jane Grey, i.e. a Protestant challenger to the Catholic Mary. And unlike Lady Jane he might be able to pull it off.

 

[DrakeRlugia]

Henry never had any ideas of legitimizing FitzRoy. There was some talk of setting him up as King of Ireland, however. But I don't think it'd be very popular with the Privy Council so I really can't see that happening. Either way I could see the Pope doing what happened IOTL, offering her a massive dowry and then promptly dying. He didn't last very long into her OTL marriage anyways. Without a Medici on the Papal throne, the new Pope isn't going to honor any agreements vis a vis her dowry, so I'd imagine English relations with the Pope are temporary bolstered but ultimately sour again. It'll just be Henry VIII instead of Francis I claiming that Catherine has come to him stark naked.

 

[kasumigenx]

Catherine is a direct descendant of Stephen of Blois aside from the fact that she is the daughter of the pope.

 

[Velasco]

As has been said, subsequent Popes would not honor any agreements regarding Catherine's dowry, so Henry VIII would need something for her now. At a time when he was trying to set FitzRoy up as Duke of Milan with an Archduchess for wife, I think Catherine de Medici has less of a chance (that said, he ended up marrying a 'mere' Howard, so who knows). FitzRoy as King of Ireland, or as an unwanted half-royal living off his wife's French inheritance (Lauraguais, Boulougne and Auvergne to recall?) would be interesting.

 

[Emperor Constantine]

Now here's an idea. Say instead or in lew of a dowry, Henry VIII asks Clement to grant him his annulment. After all the final break with Rome also occurred in 1533 so is that fisable or no?

 

[Fredrick II Barbarossa]

Now here's an idea. Say instead or in lew of a dowry, Henry VIII asks Clement to grant him his annulment. After all the final break with Rome also occurred in 1533 so is that fisable or no?

one problem I believe the HRE would be keen on preventing that. Given they recently beat france and are defracto the powerhouse in Italy. The pope gets on their bad side... yeah.