Sometimes I find my mind wandering over various eclectic topics and occasionally I am inspired to write some of them down. Today I was thinking about historical ‘what if’s – for example, what if
Henry VIII had married Mary Boleyn (instead of Anne) and acknowledged and
legitimised her son Henry – known to history as Henry Carey – particularly with
respect to the royal succession.
(and yes, I am aware there’s
debate over his paternity but for me a) this seems to be primarily based on
Henry not formally acknowledging him and b) I doubt the Boleyns or Careys would
be foolish enough to allow Mary to continue conjugal relations with her husband
while she was a mistress of the King)
Well, for one thing, neither Elizabeth I or Edward VI would have
existed. If Henry had stayed married to Catherine of Aragon until her death in
1536 and then married Mary Boleyn, the latter died in 1543 so it’s possible
Henry VIII may only have had 2 wives (but still 2 daughters – Mary Tudor and
Catherine ‘Carey’ – and a son; excluding the possibility of further children
given Henry’s general ‘problems’ in this area).
Presuming all other dates and facts remain the same (although it’s
highly unlikely they would have – e.g. the heir to the throne probably would
not have married the daughter of a relatively obscure Welsh nobleman), on the
king’s death in 1547, Henry ‘Carey’ would have become King Henry IX at the age
of 21. He, in turn, would have succeeded (in 1596) by his son who would have
been King George I (an English baron as opposed to a German royal). The line of
succession would then presumably have gone:
Queen Elizabeth I (George’s daughter and only child) r. 1603-1635
King George II (youngest child and only son) r. 1635-1658
King George III (second son) r. 1658-1698
King Charles I (eldest son) r. 1698-1710
King James I (second son) r. 1710-1736
King Augustus I (only son) r. 1736-1755
King Frederick I (only son) r. 1755-1810
then either
King William I? (illegitimate eldest son - parents married aged 10) r.
1810-1857
King Maurice I (William’s eldest brother – also illegitimate) r.
1857-1867
King Francis I (Maurice’s eldest son) r. 1867-1896
King Charles II (Maurice’s second son) r. 1896-1916
Queen Swinburne (Maurice’s eldest daughter) r. 1916-1920
King Edgar I (Swinburne’s third son but the only one to outlive her) r.
1920-1937
Queen Serena I (Edgar’s daughter and only child) r. 1937-present
or (following the line
of legitimacy):
King Thomas I (Frederick
Queen Louisa I (daughter and only child of Thomas’s youngest brother) r.
1882-1899
Queen Eva I (Louisa’s daughter and only child) r. 1899-1964
Queen Mary I (Eva’s eldest daughter) r. 1964-1992
King Anthony I (Eva’s nephew) r. 1992-present
Alternatively, if the crown had followed the
same route as ‘George I’s baronial title of Hunsdon (although the English crown
– unlike English noble titles – does not follow Salic law and could be
inherited by a woman) then the present incumbent would be King Vicary I r.
1986-present.
Interesting the way things turn out, isn't it?
