Author Topic: Henry Fitzroy  (Read 18896 times)

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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Henry Fitzroy
« on: January 19, 2006, 11:13:33 AM »
Hi everyone.  ;)

Henry VIII's parliament passed an act giving him the power to choose as his successor anyone of his blood - it was speculated at the time that he was about to choose his bastard son Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Somerset. Do you think Henry ever considered this? Also, how much credence do you give to the rumours that Henry VIII intended to marry Fitzroy to his half sister Mary?  :o
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umigon

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2006, 11:33:41 AM »
Well, Clement VII did start proceedings for that purpose, but Henry didn't like the idea, so Clement stopped this incestuous dispensation. But Henry must have considered it... at least just for a few moments!

Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2006, 11:43:13 AM »
It just goes to show how 'obliging' popes were!  :o
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Offline Kimberly

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2006, 12:40:48 PM »
And the"double- standards" of Henry. Potentially considering marrying Fitzroy to his half-sister, when one of the reasons he gave for divorcing Katherine was that she was previously his brother's wife.
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Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2006, 12:41:47 PM »
Haha, I hadn't even thought of that.  ;D ;D But I would have that the Henry-Mary plan was contrived as an alternative to divorcing Katherine?
"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
-Sherlock Holmes

"Men forget, but never forgive; women forgive, but never forget."

Lorelei_Lee

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2006, 01:03:34 PM »
I absolutely think he was considering making Henry Fitzroy his heir.  I think that was a big part of his motivation in getting his marriage to Anne Boleyn annulled.  Only if Elizabeth were illegitimatized would Henry be reasonably able to get away with appointing his bastard son as his successor instead of her.  

Mind you, I think this was a fallback plan in case Jane Seymour failed to produce children.  I'm sure he was hoping for a son from Jane.  

Of course we'll never know for certain because Henry Fitzroy died within weeks of Parliament giving Henry the power to choose his successor.  

I have NO idea whether Henry would really have married Mary to her half-brother Henry Fitzroy.  Good golly.  Are there other instances of royal half-siblings marrying in medieval/Renaissance Europe?  

Offline Kimberly

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2006, 01:04:16 PM »
Here he is.
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Lorelei_Lee

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2006, 01:39:20 PM »
He looks a bit like his father, but with prettier eyes.  The nose, though, is just the same and the mouths are similar.  

I wonder about the way he's dressed.  Doesn't he look as though he's posing in his underwear or nightshirt?  Why no fancy doublet/hat/jewelry?   I can't think of another portrait of the time where the subject is dressed so informally.    

Offline Prince_Lieven

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2006, 01:44:51 PM »
I agree, he's dressed very informally. But this one of Charles Brandon's son also looks quite informal, apart from the hat:
http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/images/Brandon,Charles(3DSuffolk)01.jpg
"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"
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Lorelei_Lee

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2006, 07:02:38 PM »
What a beautiful portrait!  

Offline Romanov_fan

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2006, 10:49:07 AM »
He was dressed very informally in this portrait, perhaps allowable given that he was illegitimate royalty, really nobility. He is hard to pinpoint in history, and does have Tudor looks, and a resemblence to his father, defintely. Is there any known portaits of his mother, Bessie Blount or not? I think it would have been unlikely of him to have married his half sister, this never happened in Royal families of the time, although marriages did take place between close relations, even niece and uncle! :o But that would have been a bit much.

Anyway, it is possible he might have been made heir, had he lived, and had things happened differently with regard to Jane Seymour giving Henry an heir. It would have been a bit of a last resort though. But perhaps Henry would have done it to ensure the continuation of the Tudor Dynasty.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by romanov_fan »

Offline Kimberly

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2006, 12:31:15 PM »
I have never seen a portrait of Bessie
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Offline Romanov_fan

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2006, 12:40:00 PM »
Is there any? There might not be, she was rather a minor figure, and if it is identified, it might not be her, or perhaps one of her has been misidentified. I have never seen one, but hope perhaps there is a source that says defintively.

bell_the_cat

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2006, 01:07:37 PM »
I've never seen a portrait of her (BB) either, but she had the reputation of being exceedingly beautiful.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM by bell_the_cat »

Offline Romanov_fan

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Re: Henry Fitzroy
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2006, 01:29:41 PM »
That's interesting, I can believe she was. Perhaps no potrait of hers exists, that is possible. Some book might say something.