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To: sanormal
Your timeline's off.

Mary Tudor didn't marry Philip of Spain until AFTER she was legitimated and crowned queen (1553) - long after Henry was dead and after Edward VI's reign in between. So Henry didn't make ANY decisions based on Mary's marriage . . . because at that point he'd been dead for years.

101 posted on 03/16/2006 7:49:26 PM PST by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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To: AnAmericanMother
Sorry, you have misunderstood my post which is my fault.

I was establishing a political parallel between Henry and what would happen later with his daughter.

Henry's marriage to Catherine was made in order to solidify English independence against French attacks on English lands on the Continent. The Spanish pledged to support Henry in this endeavor.

In 1519, Catherine's nephew, Charles was elected Holy Roman Empire uniting the Kingdom of Spain with most of Western Europe. Henry was now married into the Imperial family. ANY heir that Henry and Catherine would have would inherit inferior vassal status in relation to the Holy Roman Empire.

Additionally, Charles was successfully waging war against the French and Italians, expanding his rule into Italy and important wars against Suleyman the Magnificent and the Ottomans in Vienna and Central Europe. Charles was the uber-Emperor styling himself as the first Imperial Majesty who ruled an Empire upon which the sun did not set.

The only path that would ensure England's independence was for Henry to remove his heirs from the Holy Roman Empire's dynastic totem pole. Hence his divorce and corresponding removal of Mary as heir.

Years later, Mary would use the marital strategy to ensure her rule. Her strategy was to wed to Charles' son, Philip. Unfortunately, this path would lead directly to vassalage for England and was strongly opposed by the English for this reason. Mary's choice brought a dilemma to English Catholics who understood that support for Queen Mary would lead to the end of England as a politically independent and sovereign kingdom.
118 posted on 03/17/2006 9:55:46 AM PST by sanormal
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To: AnAmericanMother
Your timeline's off.

What's a little historical innaccuracy between friends?

119 posted on 03/17/2006 10:00:24 AM PST by Hermann the Cherusker
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